


Cannibal

by Oddmorals (RoosterTeethFanfics)



Series: Cow Chop Monster AU [1]
Category: Cow Chop, The Creatures (Youtube RPF), cowchop
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Creatures & Monsters, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Angst, Aron is just kind of there, Blood, Blood Drinking, Blood Kink, Blow Jobs, Cannibalism, Cannibalistic Thoughts, Eventual Smut, Ew, Forced Prostitution, Gay Sex, Gore, I figure he wouldn't fit into a romantic relationship, Kinky, Kumiho!Aron, M/M, Major Character Injury, Monsters, Multi, Murder, Not for children, Orgasm Delay/Denial, Ouch, Polyamory, Prostitution, Smut, Stabbing, alternative universe, cannibal!aleks, cannibal!james, creature!AU, hellhound!joe, lupin!trevor, murder of random people, pimping, please, polyamory sex, so much gore, there will be cute moments, this is so gross
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-30
Updated: 2016-08-21
Packaged: 2018-07-11 06:10:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 41,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7032427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoosterTeethFanfics/pseuds/Oddmorals
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Part 1 of the "Cow Chop Monster AU" series.</p><p>James and Aleks had been underground for so long; starving, malnourished, depressed.<br/>They found humans. Then they ate them, like they were supposed to.<br/>No one would suspect the cute couple down the street taking care of three pups would have such a filthy secret. </p><p>Now faced with the government's abuse, a war is brewing to start.</p><p> </p><p>(This is a GORY FANFICTION. Please be careful. Trigger warning for blood, gore, prostitution, and murder.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The First Hunt

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Let My Home Be My Gallows](https://archiveofourown.org/works/2409158) by [Emono](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emono/pseuds/Emono). 



> Hey Everyone! Please listen to this playlist I made to go with the story: http://8tracks.com/anon-846234568828317/cannibal-a-novahd-fanfiction-mix
> 
> Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoy!

                                                                  

There was a time they hid away from the world. There was a time when they were ashamed of what they were. There was time where they weren't accepted. Then, after years of torment and anguish, they decided to force their presence onto people in the easiest way possible. By getting rid of them.

Most of their people still hid in sewers and dirty alleyways with druggies and garbage, while more... **'** **harmless'** or **'vegetarian'** species were allowed to drift the streets on strict probation. Ninety percent of the monsters there are malnourished, craving the lush iron of blood.

These two men decided to get their fix in the only way possible.

Aleks was the wild one. Fierce, passionate, and gorgeous when covered in red- it never failed to tug at James' jeans. He killed in a methodical way, like a clock, always on time and never missing a beat. Many people trusted him on the account that he was naturally pale, therefore his murderous form really wasn't too different from his average appearance. He was the dreamer of the pair of men. He was the one who kept James floating off his feet.

James, despite his usual personality, had to be the level-headed man in the relationship. He was cunning, yet sweet, and charmed women and men alike with his soft voice. He was always the one to clean and cook- he was basically demoted to a housewife- but this never went unappreciated. He was the realist of the pair of men. He kept Aleks on the ground.

They went unnoticed under the radar. To the government, they were average, human, law-abiding citizens. To many, they were the grim reapers in a layer of tattoos, with their lips entwined at all times.

\--------------

James had begun to think that Aleks enjoyed the hunt too much. He watched from a nearby tree as the victim scrambled for air, limply hanging by Aleks' fist- or what he thought was Aleks. He was always a completely new person every time they went out to get a kill.

He was used to his sweet, little Aleks, with soft kisses that tasted like prime meat and sunshine. If he even tried to kiss Aleks while he was in that form, _he'd get a lip piercing._

He could see the blood in-between his gums as the man smiled, the life finally leaving the boy's body. He was usually somewhat merciful, but when his blood lust flared up, he got more torturous with his execution methods.

The air stilled and Aleks dropped the boy to the ground, watching as the dirt plumed off the ground and stuff to the sweat and blood on his throat. He kicked him over, revealing the lifeless eyes that could pierce anyone with a soul. A bone jutted out from just above the collarbone- most likely broke from the pressure of Aleks' clamped fist.

The Russian sniffed and licked at the blood slowly cascading down his skin. James used his claws to scratch his way down the tree, leaving gashes in the soft wood. He sniffed the shifting air, searching for his mate's scent. The pang of musk and meat hit his nose and he was guided blindly to him. By the time he had smelled his way to Aleks, the other had already eaten the entire neck and a cheek on the corpse's face.

Aleks noticed the angry look on his face before he could say anything. "I thought we could eat out tonight, babe." He uttered through red lips. His smirk pulled at the James' heartstrings, and despite his anger, he knelt with him to dine. "I thought I would save you the other cheek. I know you like those."

The pure thought of it brought water to his mouth. His sharp nails pressed into the soft tissue of the cheek, and he hollowed out the piece of flesh with tenderness, like taking care of a child. It popped into his hand like a piece of jello, the blood leaking onto his fingers like a waterfall of red.

He savored his first bite, as always. He cut through the skin easily with his fangs and the sweet taste he was so used to coated and warmed his throat like a cup of hot cocoa. His body thanked him for the iron and plasma that he so desperately needed.

They continued eating until their stomachs were full to the brim with the patients flesh and organs. Aleks picked his teeth with a shattered bone shard until a lush vein came out of his gums and he licked it off the shard, sucking bone marrow with it like a delicate sauce.

"So," James started. He began to go to his more human form, bones cracking and teeth shrinking. "You wrap the extras and load it, I'll store it when we get home."

He sighed. That was his _least_ favorite job. This particular corpse was kind of fatty, and would be difficult to wrap in the white tarp. He jumped onto the bed of the truck, tossing James his extra pair of clothing, and grabbing the tarp for the job.

James dressed himself while he kept an eye on the road. This was quite the empty place; trees covered the sky completely and the only light came from the unlocked truck a few feet away. He didn't have to worry about anyone stumbling in on the crime scene.

Aleks heaved the boy over by his limp shoulders, and cut the remainder of the neck he had left off. He wrapped the head separately; that wasn't the good part, so it usually ended up in the garbage anyway. He snuck nibbles of the arteries peeking out from the torso as he tightly bundled him in the washable, white tarp. Duct tape hung from his lips, a holding place until he could seal the endings of the plastic.

The worst part though was rolling him into the bed of the truck. James, the lovely man he was, had invested in a ramp meant for wheelchairs, but in this scenario, it was used for bodies. He quickly changed into his own clean pair of clothes, jumping into the passenger seat next to his love.

The ride was what you would expect from any couple.  
The joked and held hands; the dry blood on their fingers rubbing off on one another like light henna tattoos. The road ahead was empty, but as they got out of the forest, the stars in the sky enveloped them in the midst of their blood high.

James could not stop staring at Aleks. When he was in his human form after a kill- just, wow. The blood stains on his cheeks and lips looked so lickable, so sweet and delicious. The way his shoulders slumped in relief, the way his eyes gleamed with happiness, why would he ever not do this? Why do other cannibals keep themselves from killing?

The car pulled into their suburban garage, as innocently as anyone else on this street. No one knew they had a filthy secret waiting in the trunk.  
After a kill, Aleks would always pull out the body and place it in the preparation room where James would take his sushi knives and take the most delicate slices from the body like a true master. His favorite part was when he got to the organs- they were so much fun to explore! He swiftly got rid of the liver and intestines, those were poisonous and often tasted like literal shit. He looked at the leftovers Aleks had saved him, and as usual, he didn't save much. They were his favorite part, after all.

He put the heart in a separate container, sealing it for consumption in the morning. Heart in the morning was always a good start to the day, just like eggs and toast for humans, but with a better taste.

He opened the small freezer door and a blast of frigid air hit his nose like a punch. James scowled- not because of _smell_ , he honestly couldn't care less, but because of how empty the freezer was. A small stack of edible organs sat in the corner, freezing away in the below zero air. Strips and cuts of other prime meat and muscle were limited, hanging from the ceiling by hooks. This had begun to be an issue, but Aleks refused to believe that. Always so optimistic; he loved that about him.

He placed the heart amongst his brethren, sighing. How was he supposed to support their diet when they couldn't hunt enough people to even fill this small of a freezer? It stressed him out so much that he had begun to eat less so his husband could eat more in a singular serving. A sweet gesture, but it takes its toll. James was losing the color in his cheeks from the lack of blood he was getting.

He shut the door to the winter wonderland, grabbing another piece of body. The head. He never liked the head, except for the cheeks. For most cannibals, brain was a delicacy, but a gross one at that. It tasted like that German dish- what was it called? Mett. It was like mett without the spices. He would have to eat it anyway, since the lack of food was so extreme.

He dissected the skull with a hammer, watching as the teeth of the former person broke off like corn off of a cob. Aleks had nibbled at his lips and gums, exposing his nasty smile.  
He could feel the lifeless eyes on his skin, burning through his defenses like molten iron. He swallowed down the metallic spit in his mouth, and met eyes with the smiling head. "Don't look at me like that, asshole." Silence filled the air, and he gave another blow to his forehead to reveal the brain. "Aleks went easy on you."

\--------------

A few blocks away, the small claws of a hellhound puppy dug into the earth of a hill. He made a nest, make-shift and small, and nestled into the dead grass. The minute his fur hit the grass, is smoldered into black blades and curled away from the heat.

This was his home now. He would find a way to survive here, even if he had to be homeless. He refused to be in that household; that goddamn household. His black-eye throbbed to the rapid beat of his heart, and the tears hidden under his eyelids forced their way out before simmering and dissolving away on his hot skin.

Joe laid his head on the crumbling grass, closing his wet eyes.

He had to survive. **He always did.**


	2. The Corner Store

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys go out for another hunt, and find a young, starving pup.

A truck sped by, splashing muddy sewer water on his face. He was _so_ happy to wake up in one piece, but now that he smelled like shit, he really did wish some vampire or lupin would have eaten him in his sleep. Maybe then he wouldn't have to endure the gnawing pains in his belly.

He considered going to a supermarket and picking up some animal meat, but the lightness in his pocket told him to restrain. He only stole about forty dollars from his dad, so he didn't expect to live that long anyways.

A hellhound pup needed sustenance though; this was common knowledge. A pup without fresh meat would surely lose his heat quickly, and Joe could already feel himself shiver despite the humid summer heat. He tugged on the torn-up hoodie he wore, pulling it closer to his skin in an attempt to conceal his waning heat.

With a sigh, he stood up, grabbing the small satchel that was previously used for school- now it held his life. It was packed with the previously mentioned money, a nearly empty water-bottle, and his favorite potato chips. It wasn't steak, but it kept him breathing so far.

He stared up at the sun with no concern for his burning eyes; it was roughly four in the afternoon. He would usually be preparing dinner by now, but instead, here he was running away. He would say he took the roof over his head for granted, but the roof had begun to collapse years ago.

\-----------------------------------

They had begun preparation hours ago, but one thing James could never prepare for was Aleks. The way he got before a hunt was stressful to him, like dealing with a child. Aleks nibbled away at his fingers, trying to drain some of his nasty tasting cannibal blood out of his finger to try and satisfy his hunger.

When James brought up their lack of food again, Aleks had finally decided to plan another hunt tomorrow morning. The issue with this was that they were so tired from last night that the whole house felt like it was standing on thin stilts; ready to cave it at any time.

If they ate before a hunt, they wouldn't have a strong enough blood lust to be able to efficiently hunt; without blood-lust, their senses weren't enhanced at all and their heart rates were normal, meaning hunting became a chore. Therefore there was no breakfast this morning. No breakfast meant a hungry and cranky Aleks. That meant an irritated James.

Aleks stood from the couch with anger, nearly stomping over to James with what looked like the intentions to hurt him, but James knew better. He didn't flinch as Aleks pressed his lips to his own, his tongue searching for any remnant of blood in his mouth. When none was found, he pulled away. Even though he didn't get what he wanted, in a way, _he did._

He smirked at the light glow on James' cheeks, and the dreamy gleam in his dark eyes. They never failed to enchant each other.

\-----------------------------------

He shrunk in the corner of the corner store, clinging to a pack of cigarettes like it was the last thing he owned- and it was. He didn't even smoke, but he figured instead of spending his money to try and prolong the inevitable, he would end it quicker through tobacco in his lungs.

He had run out of water and chips, and now all he had was the bag he took with him and a box of death. The cashier eyed him suspiciously- not because he was homeless, because he was a monster. Despite the stares from other customers, no one offered him a dime. He sat in the air conditioning of the store, getting a few hours of dry skin before he goes back to sleep in the wet and humid weather; his fur frizzed horribly out there.

Another pair of men came in, obviously a gay couple of some sort, looking at the way their hands entwined. It was sickeningly cute. Joe hid the carton, not wanting attention for his blatant waste of money. Maybe these two would give them some change, and he didn't want to fuck it up. He smiled as one threw a bag of candy at the other, earning a laugh between the two, and he could feel a chuckle bubble in his throat. Odd, he thought. He never really smiled anymore.

"That'll be..." The cashier glanced at the register as his hands moved on their own, bagging and moving things without thought. "$19.4-"

It took a few moments of rapid blinking to notice two thing:

One man had his fist around the dude's neck.  
**This fist had claws.**

The blood oozed out under the pressure of the nails, but he was still very alive, thrashing around and throwing punches as if he would survive.

"Just put him out, already. You're making a mess." The other spoke calmly, casually, and Joe's mouth was ajar in shock. Even though they just killed the cashier, they were still paying for their groceries. The man swiped his card, and placed it back in his wallet leisurely as if this was any normal transaction. Joe had seen robberies before, but what was the point if they paid anyway?

His own breathing was becoming spastic; rapid gasps of air burned his lungs in panic, but he had to be quiet. He crawled across the cold linoleum floor to hide behind an aisle of chips, before an idea struck him and twisted at his gut like it was being strangled. Now that the cashier was dead, he could loot. He could stock up his bag again, full of real food and water- the stuff he needed. It's not like the cops would look for him, they would be looking for the murderers, right?

"What's the plan with him? Prime cuts, a meal, or storage?" The clawed monster said. He could not believe the implications of what he just said. _What did that really mean?_ Raw bile filled the inside of his mouth, dipping into the raw cuts in his cheeks. That was disgusting- _vile,_ really.

The vomit spilled out, and time seemed to stop for all parties in the room. He stared at his clear bile in horror as the air stiffened, and he heard sneakers hit the floor repeatedly. Walking. They would find him for sure, and he would rather be homeless for the rest of his short life than be someone's steak tonight. He grabbed an arm full of chips, unconcerned about the noise he was making, and he darted for the door.

The air left his lungs as a bag of Doritos flopped onto the floor. The cuts weren't deep- he could feel them already- but they stung and the blood that dripped from him stained the only pair of clothes he had left.

"I'm-" He gasped, falling into full on panic-mode. "I'm _sorry,_ please don't-"

The hands gripped harder onto his waist, right below his lungs, forcing the air backwards out of his mouth.  
" **Stop** , you fucking idiot." The other stepped forward. He was turned around from the window door, following the hands that cut into him until he paused and let him loose. Every muscle gave out, his knees shaking horrifically and tears subconsciously pouring out. "This one is a hellhound. Can't you smell it?"

The other chucked heartily, and walked swiftly next to his lover to gaze at their catch. "All I smell is rotten eggs. He is homeless, dude." Joe wished he didn't stop him now. This humiliation was all he ever got at school and home.

"That's sulfur. Hellhounds have sulfur in their blood; you can't wash or drain that shit out." He grimaced, thinking of the taste as if he's had it before.

Joe's vision began returning to him, and he was able to size-up his captors. The one that almost killed him had short, dark hair, and... Joe's blood on his fingers. The seemingly reasonable one had wild and dark, curly hair that strayed off in random twists and tufts. They were both huge, tattooed, and most definitely not anything human.

A few minutes ago, they did in fact look human, with human actions and human bodies. So, what happened? Now they looked like they could 'rip him a new one'. And they probably would.

The reasonable one seemed to shrink before his eyes with a pop and a crack- and now he was back to normal, with the same chaotic hair but much less muscular, to his relief. Joe could feel his rapid steady heart beat slow down- were they _sparing_ him?

He kneeled down, much to Joe's discomfort. His soft, warm eyes pulled at his heart, and he gained a new ounce of confidence that maybe he could live a few more weeks.

"Do you need some help, buddy?" The man said. Joe's eyes watered- from everything. His parents had never said anything as nice as that his entire life, and here was a murderous stranger, throwing it out there.

In the background, the other man scoffed. He shrunk down too, and honestly, without his claws, Joe thought he could fuck up that scrawny dude. He was shorter than his partner and had a less substantial build. Seeing this right after his monster form was just a joke.

He realized after a moment that he had drifted off, and his eyes wandered back up to the man before him. He still hadn't killed him, but it was obvious he easily could. His heart stopped as he lifted a hand- and then placed it ever so gently on his head. He rubbed Joe's long, dark hair softly, soothing the nerves within him.

James couldn't believe what he was seeing. This boy's cheeks were so sunken in, he was scared he might crack his bones from petting him too hard at any moment. He didn't need the pup to speak to know that his family didn't feed him correctly. Hellhounds were most definitely supposed to eat human meat, just like them. He sighed softly, petting the boy as his small hellhound ears layed back in fear.

James winked at him. Nothing sexual, just a small confirmation between the two that there was no bad blood, but Joe still had his fists clenched tight just in case.

"How long have you been homeless for?" He spoke. Wow, going for the low blows pretty quickly, Joe thought. He assumed the man had no intention of offending him, but it still bothered him to no end on how he asked so casually after a murder. Speaking of the murder, the shorter boy was already at work, sanitizing the blood away from the register and bagging the body. His stomach clenched, and he chose to look away from it.

"A few weeks now." He started. His tail curled around his chest in a protective stance. "I ran away from home."

James frowned. Nobody should ever have to do that, especially not a pup like this. He ran through his thoughts quickly, before clicking in tongue in an ideal solution.

"Why don't you come with us?" James smiled his best smile.

In the background, the other man dropped the body on the ground in surprise. The sound of the body slamming down sent shivers down his spine.

"Shit." He uttered. By the time it left his lips, it was gone. He was horrified by the thought of having to share a house with... _cannibals?_

Warm sulfuric aromas drifted into James' nose. He smelled the boy's fear, his desperation, and his pure hunger from within. He felt an obligation to help this pup.

The boy beneath him was sweating and shaking, cold drops forming on his forehead. James removed his jacket without a beat, and handed it to him. Immediately his big puppy-dog eyes landed on the blood splotches and he froze in his spot. James ignored his expression, placing it gently around his shoulders. He took a moment to smell it, nose twitching and eyes blinking. He deemed it safe and snuggled into the fabric.

"My name is James." He spoke softly. Joe could smell the blood on his tongue from here, there was no lying about that, but something in him sparked.

"Joe." His voice rose a level in volume, becoming audible to the other man.

He stood with a grunt, raising his arms and cracking his back. "We'll give you a nice meal. I'm a pretty good chef, if I do say so myself."

Joe's eyes bulged.  
" _No-_ " James swallowed, "We won't hurt you. We couldn't." He paused, "I couldn't."

"You..." Joe trailed off, eyes tracing back and forth between the body and the sweet man in front of him. " _You killed him_."

"But we didn't kill _**you**_." James smiled, a smug undertone showing through.

To their defense, that was fair. His pathetic life had been spared, but for _what?_

His eyes flashed outside. With the hypersensitive ears on Joe's head, he could hear the sirens in the distance- an ambulance or a police car, he didn't know, and he didn't care to know.  
"Okay." He stood, shoving his arms through the jacket James' had given him.

" _'Okay'_ what?" James said. He seemed shocked by the boy's ascension, scared he might just bolt off.

"Just get me out of here." Joe muttered. " **Please**."


	3. The Hellhound Puppy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The pup begins settling into the cannibal household.

The car ride was eerily silent.  
James was the designated driver, and as he drove under the night sky, his eyes kept stealing glances at the pup in the back seat. He had fallen asleep like he never slept before; he probably hasn't had an actual bed in weeks. Aleks was furious when James insisted on turning the heat on in the car, so his gaze drifted as far away from his lover as possible.

"You know," Aleks began. He turned his head straight, still refusing to meet eyes. "We don't have enough food for him. I don't know what you expected us to do."

James smiled, but he kept his eyes on the boy in the back as he drove. "He's exactly what we needed, Aleks."

\-----------------------------------

Different pains, all individually horrible on their own, hit him as he woke up.  
The thirst in his throat coated his esophagus with sickness, like a cold that never ended. He could smell the dirt and vomit on his worn outfit, and usually he was used to it, but it contrasted greatly to the clean linen scent of the room he was resting in. His eyes burned as they parted open. As he sat up, he felt the cuts on his hips from last night split open like freshly made wounds.

How long had he been asleep? _Did they carry him in?_ James probably did, he doesn't know about the other guy though.

His knees cracked as he stretched out carefully, aware of the injuries on his body. His shirt had hitched itself up in his sleep, revealing the tight bandaging wrapped just under his ribs. There was writing... or were those drawings?

He leaned forward, getting a better look at the details. Dicks. Those were definitely dicks they drew on him.

It didn't even bother him- it actually made him laugh, for once. If anything, he appreciated that they did that, because now they knew they were somewhat _normal people_. Then again...  
What did they do with that body from last night?

He shook his head. He would not take this place for granted. They may be killers, but he was no better. A runaway. A hellhound pup. He was not meant to be in society at all.

He stood, noticing the large abundance of blankets laid gently on the bed. There were about four comforters, and some other various blankets that must have been lying around the house. That must be why he wasn't shaking to death.  
  
A note was placed on the white vanity table a few feet away, surrounded by some 'hotel toiletries'. He picked it up, noting the thick paper and delicate handwriting.

_"Hey, Joey (Can I call you that?)_

_I got you some soap, you kinda smell like shit, but I understand. We don't hold judgement here. The bathroom is right next door- it's all yours. The whole upper floor is yours. If you're still scared, we won't be offended if you lock stuff. You can leave at anytime._  
_Call or text us if you want breakfast. Free delivery. We also left some protein bars for snacking!_

_James (and Aleks)"_

It was safe to assume Aleks was the other dude. He didn't seem to really enjoy Joe at all, though. Joe had told himself he would be leaving soon anyways. He wouldn't have anything to worry about, territory-wise.

The table was stocked as said. A few clean pairs of clothing sat in the corner, waiting to be worn. A stack of protein bars in various flavors were placed around the table like castle walls, a pyramid of water bottles sat in the middle, and a brand new phone sat in front of it all. It was definitely not something he had ever owned, despite being about nineteen already. His parents could never afford something like that, and even if they could, they would never spoil him like that. Getting food was already enough of a privilege in that house.

He knew how to operate it; he had watched enough kids do it under their desks in class that it was a natural reflex. He broke out laughing immediately, once the phone finally flickered with life.

A picture of James and Aleks giving him a thumbs up was the lock screen, with giant toothy smiles and bright eyes. These were not the men he saw last night _at all_.

He flicked his thumb across the screen and- goddammit. Now there was a picture of them all together; Joe was in the background sleeping, of course. How had he not noticed them taking pictures of him while they were driving? How had he even fallen asleep in the car?

_It was strangely cute._

\-----------------------------------

He sat in a state of inaction for hours, contemplating violently inside whether to leave or not. His mind was in a ruckus- most people would instantly run away from murderers and cannibals, but Joe just couldn't find the heart to leave them.

His belly was full of protein bars of all different flavors; chocolate made him sick, but he ate it happily anyways. His body shook with new found energy, and for once, he was happy to be alive. That's all he could ask for.

The big question was: How long was he going to mooch off of these guys? He planned on leaving tonight, but as the full moon rose higher and higher into the sky, he remembered his fear of lupins tearing him apart. Maybe that was just an excuse.

He finally slipped off his shoes for the first time that day. He had been wearing them in case he had to make a speedy escape, but with no immediate danger, it had become rather uncomfy.

He opened his door, hesitantly, in case there was some booby-trap. When nothing killed him, he stepped through the door and jogged lightly on his toes into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.

The room wasn't stark white like he expected- it was actually surprisingly homey. The curtains were a soft beige, similar to the walls. They had a medicine cabinet, and while he searched through it, he stole some Ibuprofen and popped it into his mouth. His hellhound body worked quickly, burning through the pill to give him some instant relief.

His shoulders stiffened as he placed a hand on the curtain. The thought of killers with masks and knives hiding in showers filled his mind, but he quickly shoved it aside. He had to trust these men, even if just for a while.

Opening the curtain, he found it just as clean as he expected. No blood stains, organs, or killers. Just how he liked it.

He removed his bandaging and clothing without a second thought.

He stepped in, turning the water knob. Everything here just came as a surprise to him; this place had water! And it only took a few moments for it to get warm! He was as giddy as a child, happy to feel the water sizzle and boil around his scorching skin. It tickled if he sat there too long, since the boiling water would bubble on his skin. He emerged after he was satisfied and the water stopped running brown and red down the drain.

He ran back to his room, tip-toe fashion. He examined the clothes he got more thoroughly, trying to pick an outfit to sleep in. All the pants were fitted for his tail; little make-shift holes were cut into the seat of all his jeans, sweats, and pajama pants. He considered the jeans, but ended up tugging the soft, white pajama pants over himself. This felt much better.

Plopping on his bed, he pulled out his phone. _'Free delivery'_ , huh? Joe smiled, fangs poking out lightly over his chapped lips. He opened the contacts, seeing the two that were there for him: ' **James** ' and ' **Daddy Aleks** '. He giggled, thinking that maybe Aleks did like him- or maybe James just really hated Aleks.

He started writing a text message, and though it was all a strange concept to write like this, he managed.

**Joe: Can I have some pizza? Starving up here.**

It only took a few moments for him to respond. Joe suspected he might be waiting by his phone, awaiting the message, but that just sounded scary.

**James: Any requests, princess? Ingredients?**

**Joe: I love three meat, dude.**

The reply was near instant.

**James: We don't do animal meat. Is that okay?**

His heart struck, and sweat began forming and dissolving away on his face. He knew at this point what that meant. It was just against his morals. His thumbs shook as he twiddled away, revising and re-revising his message.

**Joe: I can't do that, sorry**

**James: I can get you a veggie pizza, if you want.**

He was honestly quite shocked. He expected a much more violent or angry response, but they really didn't care; in this case, Joe liked it.

**Joe: Thank you! <3**

He waited in his room, very grateful yet very scared.

After an hour of no response he was getting sleep-deprived, ready to dream away his fears for the night. Before he could lay his head down on the bed, a soft knock came from the wood of his door. Had it been any quieter, he might have never heard it at all. He lay still on the cushions with his eyes closed and counted to thirty before he opened the door.

This was no ordered pizza. This was homemade.  
His parents never cooked anything except problems, and a problem this was not. It smelled like a garden; rich, full, and brimming with different tastes and textures. He eyed it carefully before pulling away a piece, watching as the cheese drooped and dripped. His sensitive nose sniffed away at the Italian food. There was no meat. There was no strange medicine of chemicals. This pizza was very untainted.

He ate the whole thing in almost record time. For cannibals, these dudes had quite a taste for food other than flesh. He hadn't eaten that well in a while and he could feel his belly ache with the amount of food that filled it.

He was the _luckiest_ pup in the world, and he knew that better than he knew his own name.


	4. The Meat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The pup has his first taste of human meat- and something even better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize how shitty and short this chapter this is. I wrote this very tired. I have a nasty cold, and I write a full chapter about everyday. There may not be a new chapter tomorrow, so please understand.
> 
> Thank you!

Joe ended up staying another day, and a day after that, and a day after that, so on and so forth. The cannibals were elated to have him there, despite the fact they never saw him too much. Other than seeing small flashes of him running between the bathroom and bedroom, he didn't come out much. The only way they even knew he was still alive was the pitter-patter of his feet and the many requests for various foods.

So far, none of these foods had been carnivorous. The pup was completely surviving on protein bars, snack foods, and vegetarian dishes. James was astounded to say the least.  
Even with his concern growing in his chest, he promised himself and his mate that he would never force the pup to do anything he didn't want to do. He offered gently a few times, but to no avail. The boy _refused_ human meat.

At this point, he made no attempt to hide the meat he ate. He cooked it liberally; fresh when the blood was still warm and leaking from its veins. He was serving a large tray for himself while Aleks was working away at his day job.

He cut a tender piece of meat with the sharpest knife he owned, forming delicate cuts in the leg muscles of a former female. She was a good one- obviously athletic. Her blood tasted like pure iron, and he couldn't help but lick it off his fingers while preparing the dish.

Strips of muscle were drizzled in a light layer of lemon juice to keep it fresh, which in his opinion made it even more tangy than it already was. He diced various organs- a little bit of heart, a little bit of lungs- until he had a bowl full of cubes, like popcorn. Hot, foreign spices were poured onto them like butter. Jame's mouth dripped with watery saliva, and he could feel it thick in his throat.

He placed his array of cuisines on a tray and moved his meal over to the couch, flipping on the local news. Almost as soon as he sat down, the soft sound of stairs creaking echoed down. James turned around on his seat, smug with his victory, to find the hellhound puppy waiting there.

His ears layed flat against his head and his tail loomed inbetween his legs; he was frightened to the bone. His hands had grown small claws- scary but harmless. He clung to the railings with wide-eyes, awaiting a response.

"Hey, Joe." James grew out his own claws, grabbing a piece of legs muscle and chewing it tentatively. Holding out the half-eaten piece to the hellhound, he smiled, "Do you want some?"

Against his moral decisions, the pup's instincts ran control. He pounced over on his hands and feet to where the man sat. His nose twitched furiously at the meat the man held- _what was this new smell?_ It made his mouth water horribly.

He parted his lips slowly, looking up at James with submissive eyes. He leaned forward and hesitantly tasted the flesh he had been refusing himself for years. Juices dripped down his face, and he couldn't believe the feelings that rushed through his body as he chewed and swallowed his first human.

His skin heated up instantly, causing James to jump back in surprise at the sudden warmth. His skin gained a new color, his hair plumed with life, his eyes sprung open, and the world around him opened up like it never had before.

He felt like crying; he probably was, but he would never admit it. His heart stung with a new found happiness, a new found will to live. He jumped on the older man's lap, wrapping his arms around him tightly. He had never touched anyone as intimately, but it came so naturally that he wasn't embarrassed in the slightest.

Sweat dripped down his face; the boy was so damn warm. Joe's rough hellhound tongue lapped at James' cheeks, soaking up the droplets. He tasted just like the meat- sweet and tangy, yet salty and delectable. He restrained himself from biting James' cheek meat.

Aleks never treated him like this- normally Aleks was vicious, constantly hungry for more than just meat. James was no bottom-bitch, but he wasn't used to feel dominant like this. It felt like being worshiped every time Joe's tongue would graze the lobe of his ear and it sent shivers down his spine every time.

Joe pulled back with his eyes shining under the living room lights. His tail was wagging, thumping against Jame's knee. His eyes were full on innocence until the drifted downwards.

Jame's cock was twitching in his jeans. Pressed so roughly onto the zipper, it stood out like a sore thumb from his pelvis. Joe's wagging stopped- but not for the reason you'd expect.

_Mate. A mate. Joe would love to be his mate. Was this an offering?_ His head cocked to the left in confusion, staring at the mass. James' cheeks burned with embarrassment, but he continued his mission, and held up more meat to offer to the boy.

Joe stared quizzically at it, before wrapping his lips around James' fingers. He sucked and chewed away at the meat, licking the rubbing his tongue on his fingertips. _The meat tasted better with James on it_ , Joe thought.

His eyes were a weapon to James. His eyes fluttered as he sucked, finally swallowing the meat. He pulled away, saliva string trailing behind him.

"Mate?" Joe asked.

James couldn't help but laugh at the proposition. "Joe," He gripped the pup's chin in his hand, turning the boy so his neck was visible. "Aleks will _always_ be my mate." Joe's expression faltered.

"I want you, James." Joe uttered through wet lips. "No one has ever-"

James pulled him in, biting his lip gently with his human-like canines. His bloody tongue trailed on Joe's puppy teeth, and he felt the roughness of his tongue brush against his. Aleks tasted like smoke and steak, but this boy... He tasted so different. He didn't realize another lover could taste so different. His breathe smelled spicy; like if a fireball was just waiting in his throat. His actual saliva coated James' in what tasted like peppers, and it was so special and amazing that he just couldn't stop.

Their hands trailed over each other, claws flying and fangs clashing. The pressure of the two pairs of lips together was so incredible, so luxurious, that Aleks could walk into the house with ease without them noticing.

Joe's sensitive ears perked, and once his brain registered what the intruder was, his body froze as stiff as ice. His neck snapped to Aleks- he was surprised to find that he wasn't even mad at what was happening. He wasn't sure if he had crossed some kind of barrier, but from what he could see, it certainly didn't look like it.

"You couldn't even wait until I got home?" Aleks laughed. He threw his coat up on the rack near the door, making sure to wipe off his shoes before taking them off.

Joe was lifted off his feet- quite literally- and brought down the hallway in James' arms to what he could only assume was a bedroom. His submissive shoulders relaxed, allowing him to fall into what ever fate had planned for him.


	5. The Story

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the safety of his home, Joe opens up about his past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eyy! Sorry this one is kind of short! I had to get this one out of the way before continuing. Sorry for teasing you with soft-core smut, but that will have to wait a teensy bit longer ;) thank you!

Fate had something _amazing_ in store for Joe.  
This was the first time his eyes had ever seen the couple's bedroom, and you would expect it to be the deepest, darkest sex dungeon, but it looked like something a teenager like him would sleep in. White Egyptian-cotton sheets covered the king sized mattress; no blood stains or filth were to be seen. The windows leaked sunlight onto the powder blue walls. The air smelled like sweet-peas and honey, soft and sweet.

He was gently placed onto their bed, and was instantly welcomed by the memory-foam mattress. How did they afford this?

A body plopped down next to him and his sensitive nose instantly knew it as James. The Puerto-Rican cannibal groaned and popped his back loudly, spreading his arms above his head.

"I have a really bad back, dude." He muttered. A calm smile painted his lips, like he was at ease constantly. Aleks sat down on the other side of Joe, completing the hellhound sandwich. At least, he hoped that was metaphorical and not literal.

Hellhound blood was an amazing thing to have; it made him trust the boys much easier than anyone else would. It was like a domestic dog to an owner- they were meant to be together, and no matter what the owner did, that dog would love them forever.

No matter how many people they killed, Joe loved them. He loved the texts he got from James at night. He loved the way Aleks would bring him food and then pretend it wasn't him; a true tsundere of a cannibal. He loved the way they took him in and cared for him at his darkest point. Joe _loved_ them.

James rolled over, looking at the boy next to him. He gripped his sleeve and spoke slowly, as if he was afraid of scaring away the pup.

"We went you to tell us more about you, Joe."

Surprise took control of his expressions. He was honestly expecting something dirty or risque, but this was just as pleasant of a bombshell. He smiled nervously, thinking as far back as he could, before sighing.

"You want to know my history?" He muttered.

"If you're willing to, of course." Aleks added.

Joe rolled over his memories- some more painful than others- before finding his words.

"My dad was a human, and my mother was a hellhound. After she died," His head shook unconsciously, as if he had told this story many times before. "Dad refused to feed me human meat. He said it was disgusting and wrong, and I was just so young that I-"

"You believed him?" James sounded astounded. He had always known humans were stupid people, but this was low.

"I did. And I only ate steak for years. He married a new woman- another human, in fact- and she was a _bitch_. She hated me to the very core of her body." He swallowed, brushing his hands over his cheeks. This was always the worst part, and he hated reliving it every time he explained the story. "She beat me. A lot. My dad never believed me, and if he did, he didn't care. I was a hellhound. A mutt of a human and a beast."

"You're not a fucking _mutt_ , Joe." James spouted. His words were so violent and rough it made Joe jump a little. "You're a perfect person, no matter where you came from or what happened to you."

Joe held back his quivering lip as his eyes watered. His voice shook as he spoke, a watery, garbled-up mess. "She pushed me down the stairs a few weeks before I left. I ran away after my broken wrist and busted lip finally healed, but I don't even know if they noticed. I don't know if they even _cared_."

The bed went silent for a few minutes. Joe whimpered softly into his palms before Aleks wrapped his arms around the boy and held him closely. The heartbeat Joe felt on his back was solid and strong. It felt like it could keep him safe.

A soft laugh sang out of James' throat, opening the pup's eyes. Through the puffiness, he could see James' sweet smile and his curly beard; he could hear the gears in his heart turn again.

"You guys are _totally_ spooning." James giggled. Aleks laughed into Joe's ear, like a songbird, and it was beautiful to hear laughs again for the first time in weeks.

\---------------------------------

They spoke together for hours, stories and jokes flying around like moths around a lamp; populated, bright, and quick. Within thirty minutes, the pup had fallen asleep with his ears perked up and twitching, as if he was keeping guard.

Brown eyes clashed from across the bed, and soft spoken words were distributed between the two boys left awake; paper airplanes of thoughts flew over Joe's head.

"Do you like him?" James whispered.

"Do _you?_ " Aleks retorted.

They didn't need anything else to confirm their thoughts. Both of the cannibals had a crush on the pup, and both of them agreed that he could most definitely sleep in their bed tonight.

The bed was so warm that they slept without blankets, and no one had a complaint in the slightest.


	6. The Thief

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Joe's hunting skills are impressive, but it seems like he'll need to use it more than he thought.

"Okay, we have the plans mapped out here." James began. He spread the thick roll of paper out, being careful as he uncurled the edges.

The plans were of course, the first hunt with Joe. They planned on going near a small park at around midnight; no kids would be around, but idiotic teenagers would be drifting inbetween the swing sets all night. Easy prey for any beginner.

This paper held the bridge between life and death for him and his 'partners'

If he could call Joe that, yet.  
He had been integrated a lot better into the house, and he seemed to be enjoying their company, but James just couldn't place a finger on what they actually were. He ate meals with them, he ate their saliva sometimes when he got frisky, and he slept in their king sized bed like it was no big deal. Aleks and James considered him a lover, but what were _they_ to _him_?

"Dude," Joe laughed, tail wagging behind him. "did you draw us as stick-men?"

James came back from his imagination. He blinked before the words he said had processed and he understood what to say. "Yeah, I'm not much of an artist."

"Yeah, I'd know that." Aleks muttered. His arms were crossed in a defensive manner.

"Will you ever stop talking about that?" The other cannibal retorted.

"I don't know," Aleks said. He raised his shirt to reveal small, messy cursive writing engraved on his chest. He laughed calmly- surprisingly, for how stupid the tattoo looked- and ran his dainty fingers over the black. "Can I get rid of your writing?"

Joe leaned forwards into Aleks' chest, placing his fingers under the delicate writing as he read it. Goosebumps from the man's chest prickled his fingertip, but the ink was still very legible in dignified cursive:

 _**"You were red and you liked me because I was blue** _  
_**You touched me and suddenly I was a lilac sky** _  
_**And you decided purple just wasn't for you."** _

A blush painted Joe's cheeks. It was so intimate, it was so odd for this couple. He was used to them being assholes, but he guessed they still had their romantic moments.

"Why are you even embarrassed about it?" Joe asked softly. His hand lingered on Aleks' chest, but neither seemed to mind. He could feel the gentle, yet pulsing heartbeat through his thick skin, and it intrigued him to no end how a cannibal had a heartbeat, nevertheless a heart.

"It's just-" His voice faded away when James' loomed over the table to kiss him. When they pulled away, a small cut on Aleks' lip grew a red bead of blood that he licked off. He coughed, coming back to realization. Was he- flustered? Joe couldn't really tell. His cheeks were almost always pale. Blush was always rarity on Aleks. "It's just some stupid song." He muttered to no one in particular. He looked down, 'inspecting' the plans.

James pulled them away, glaring playfully. "It's _our_ song, you idiot."

"I never fucking agreed to that." Aleks said. James' signature laugh rung out like the chiming of bells; absolutely angelic. "Get back on with your stupid plans."

James' giggles died down, and his voice took a 180˚ from casual to dead serious. Through the blinds, the sun was just beginning to set, and it casted the warm lights on the three boys; a stage light. Their life was the play beginning to unfold.

\-------------------------------

Aleks was infatuated by the way Joe did his first killings. He was almost a natural, and despite his hesitations and fears, he would consider Joe a better killer than James.

It began when they first pulled up to the park. It was a quiet, secluded space; just as they suspected. Trees dawned over the worn playground equipment like nannies for the children that came here. The suburban houses were far enough away that no one would notice the hunt, and since it was outside, they didn't really have to clean up anything. The rain would wash everything away eventually.

James was manning the front seat, driving and talking to his friends like this was any other outing. As they pulled closer, something caught everyone's concern; Joe's erratic ear twitching. He excused it for just being an irritated nerve, but Aleks' could smell his sulfur scent from here. Joe's hormones were going insane.

By the time they pulled up, Joe was shaking in his seat, He panted through his hound tongue; breathe fogging the glass. James' knew it was about time when he saw a teenage couple sitting on the swing sets, unaware of their surroundings completely. Like letting lose of a leash on a dog, he unlocked Joe's passenger door.

He jumped out, ears raised and tail puffed out in defense. He could smell the kids better than any cannibal could, and he sensed their movements as they crunched the leaves under their feet.

If you were unlucky enough to be attacked by these three murderers, you would only see three things before you died:

**1\. A mirage of shadows.**

**2\. The fangs of an animal.**

**3\. Your arteries outside of your body.**

The young teenage boys lungs burned with fear and the feeling of breathing in blood; a very unpleasant feeling to say the least. A shrill scream came from his lover- a young, blonde teenage girl- and her entire body shook like a rag-doll out of control. Her hand still limply hung onto his until Joe slit her delicate throat with his wolf-like claws.

He had never really understood why the others loved to kill, but it was beginning to dawn on him. The rivulets of red that trailed across his knuckles were warm at first, and then when they chilled in the autumn air, they clotted into a thick and gooey mess like syrup. He ate it off his fingers like a delicacy, sweet and slick.

"You can go ahead, buddy." Aleks voice resonated. The cannibals appeared behind him with their hoods up, concealing any identity someone could see. "You get first bite."

His tail pounded the dirt madly, and he went right for the girl's fingers. He bit into them, straight through the bone like cardboard. He ate the meat and sucked out the marrow within the hollow bones. She tasted like marzipan and cotton candy; just so _fucking sweet_.

The others gathered around the female body, and devoured their favorite parts. Aleks split open her rips and lapped at the blood on her heart before taking a gnarly chunk out of the important muscle.

James ate the soft, chewy pieces from her face. Her cheeks melted into his sharp, carnivorous teeth and he could feel the warmth of fresh blood fill his stomach. He always considered this his favorite part- and loved doing it with Joe.

Joe was much more blood-thirsty than any of the two had ever expected, border-lining on dangerous. Once he ate meat for the first time, his true calling was revealed. He was an amazing hunting dog.

The bodies were picked up; the remnants of the female were packed in a tightly wrapped garbage bag, while the boy went into the infamous tarp. They voted Joe the new tarp-washer, freeing Aleks of his duties, but putting the nasty smelling tarp in his responsible hands. He knew that people pooped when they died, and he dreaded having to clean the mess they made.

The ride home was filled with small talk and laughs, while Joe changed his shirt in the back seat. One of his only shirts, and it was ruined; they promised to buy him more, but he had gotten attached to the first pairs of clothing they gave him.

They pulled up, and as they turned off the headlights, something caught all of their views. It sat dead in front of their garage entrance, waiting for their next move.

"Are those..." Joe swallowed, "Glowing _eyes?_ "

James threw himself out of the car, but by the time he had stepped out of the truck, the figure was gone. The garage door had huge scratches on it, revealing the silver metal underneath the layer of paint. That would be a bitch for Aleks to repair.

James ushered for the boys to stay, wary of the precious lives he wanted to keep safe. He knew what those glowing eyes represented, and he knew he'd rather risk himself than any of his lovers.

He ran as fast as he could while still being silent, making it to the front door. Absolutely rampaged. The screen door was ripped to shreds and the doorknob on the inside was missing completely. There was most definitely an intruder.

He allowed the others to come in when the fiend didn't appear again, and his foul scent had wafted out of the air. Nothing had truly been harmed, but something sacred to the boys had been ravished.

The freezer was very empty.

Their main worry was the fact that food was already an issue, but other things began to spring up one by one.

"What if they find us?" Aleks said, tears brimming his eyes. James had heard that sentence so often that he didn't need to ask _'What do you mean?'_. He knew. Aleks was worried about being told on- being ratted out- to the cops. They would certainly be executed for how many people they had taken but-

"It wasn't our _fault!_ " Joe yelled. The boys stared at him. Joe had read their minds so perfectly, they began to wonder if he had some kind of telepathy. "We have to do this." He sighed out heavily, the water-line of his eyes shining. "We can't survive without doing this, and I'll be damned if they try and stop up." He wiped the snot running down his red nose, along with the leakage of his red, puffy eyes. "Just trust me."

Aleks clung onto James, head buried in his hefty chest. He breathed in the scent of blood and mint; his mind had mutually connected the scent of mint with James at this point and now it was his favorite smell. James' beard mixed with the hair on top of Aleks' head, and every time Aleks' heaved a sob he could feel it through his chin.

"We've been through this before," James said, "Me and Aleks." His eyes hovered over everything in the room but Joe, and the tension in his chest was building as he held his breath. "It never goes well."

"Look," Joe uttered through shaky lips. He looked back at the empty void of a freezer, worry stricken. "I'll stay here during the next hunt. If anyone gets in, I'll fucking kill them. You do not have to worry in the slightest."

James' eyes widened briefly, but his calm expression returned shortly after. He smiled- was it out of happiness or affection?- and he buried his face into Aleks' sweet smelling hair.

"We'll talk about this more tomorrow." He reluctantly pulled away from Aleks, although the boy still tried desperately to hide in him. James' mouth opened, but nothing came out for a moment, like a pause in a CD. "Come to bed with us, Joe."

Joe cuddled sweetly into the frightened Aleks as James stored the kills of the night; that would only last them a couple of days and then they'd have to go hunt all over again. The thought made Aleks shiver, but the hell hound's pure heat made him purr in happiness, all senses relaxing into mush. He was really getting used to this puppy, and he couldn't deny that he really, _really_ liked him.


	7. The Rendezvous

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The preparations begin?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ??? I don't know what happened. I intended for this to be fluffy smut, but damn, it got kinky quick. This is MY FIRST SMUT so please forgive me.
> 
> (P.S., I began revising this, and halfway through, I realized there was no saving that could be done for this. I am trash, sorry.)

James shut the freezer with a slam. He was preparing breakfast, which was the most important meal of the day, especially on the day of a hunt.

In most cases they could wait about a week inbetween the murders, but with recent events, that had become nearly impossible to do. They had to go back out as soon as possible in order to restock.

Joe skipped out from the hallway, hair in a high man-bun and ears perked up happily. He waltzed right in and kissed James' bearded cheek, sneaking a piece of meat away from the man while he wasn't looking. It was a raw piece of lung; not his favorite, but it would do.

James continued chopping the remainder of the flesh. He wasn't stupid- he saw Joe take meat- but he was too cute to get mad at. He snuck a few pieces himself, licking at the nasty vein that got stuck in his teeth.

A meal was prepared at last; pieces of esophagus stuffed with fragrant cheeses and slices of eyeballs. It was a cannibal's form of sushi, and he made it a lot whenever the family was stressed. It was Aleks' favorite dish, and it calmed him down significantly.

"Aw!" Aleks cooed as he walked in. He walked behind James, wrapping his arms around the thicker man's waist and pressing his sharp nose to his ear. "You're a lovely husband, James. Really."

"What's up with you?" James tried to ignore the advances before him, but to no avail. His voice was as weak as his cheeks were red. "You're never this affectionate."

"I always get worried before hunts. You're not the fastest person in the world because of your back, and..."He paused, placing his forehead against the spine of his lover. "I wonder if you get hurt everytime you're alone for just a second."

James was never good with emotions, and Aleks knew this, but it never stopped him from pulling a moment like this out from nowhere. His speeches were often sudden and out of the blue, but in a way, that just proved how much it was on his mind. James turned to the man, gripping his shoulders with a light touch.

"You never have to worry about me, Aleks." He kissed him with an intensity that most cannibals wouldn't understand, lips clashing like they were the last thing he would ever taste. His tongue swirled in his mouth, circling every divot he had. He had no blood on his tongue for once; he tasted like a cold Pepsi, fresh and sharp.

He pulled away with his dark eyes drifting in the other's, reluctant to blink in case he missed a moment of his beauty. "You'll never have to live without me. Nobody can hurt this, dude." James whispered confidently, jutting a thumb at himself. He paused, smiling to himself. "This still doesn't explain why you're so _touchy_. I'm trying to cook for you right now."

Aleks' eyes shifted nervously around the kitchen, looking for words. He stammered at first, but caught his ground quickly. "I want to spend as much time with you as possible, just in case."

"In case what?"

"In case you're gone one day." Aleks' hand fell into his pockets as his cheeks glowed a subtle pink. "I just want to have the best memories of you possible."

James' didn't look surprised in the slightest. Instead, he pulled the boy into a hug by the waist, letting their noses touch and lips brush together. "I refuse to die if it means being separated from you, Aleksandr. I love you _way_ too much."

Aleks' tears were were partnered with silence, but the Russian cannibal had a thousand words going through his mind. He wanted to say so much, but his lips could only utter out three most important words:

"Sleep with me."

James' laughter sang out and echoed in the tiled kitchen. He looked back at his half-prepared meal, before deciding on his priorities. He would much rather make love to his husband than cook. Everyone could wait for breakfast. "You're so romantic." He gripped Aleks' hand tightly, before turning to the hallway to their bedroom.

The chatter of their voices was so light as they settled into bed; small chuckles and sweet words were met with feathered kisses to collar bones and lips alike. Aleks' had taken off his shirt the minute he had shut the door, and his sleeves of tattoos were gorgeous under the rising sun. James' tongue trailed every single letter and piece of art on him, like he was redrawing it from scratch.

By the time he finished licking at the cursive on his chest, Aleks' breathing had already began to quicken with anticipation. He stared up at the boy, flicking a nipple, and watched his expression change from lust to surprise. Aleks jumped at the touch, but his body melted at every ounce of skin that touched him.

The bulge was obvious, but James was strangely kinky. He enjoyed watching his torture as his boner stayed constricted in his pajama pants, not being touched and loved. Not being sucked by that skillful tongue of his, not being rubbed by his tight grip; he was leaking badly now.

James' finger twirled on his hard tip, and he could feel the pre-cum emerge through the fabric and onto his fingertip. He pulled away, watching as the string of slick shimmered in the light of the windows. He licked it off greedily, keeping eye contact with the man as he sucked his fingers off.

"James," Aleks whimpered softly. His hand drifted into the curly mop of hair in front of him. "I need it." His voice was nearly a whisper at this point, so weak from desperation.

James' chuckle was dark and devious, and it made Aleks' cock twitch with anguish. "You need to be more specific." James' breathe was hot against the bulge as he spoke, slow and lustfully. "What do you want, Aleks?"

His throat struggled to swallow down all the drool forming in his mouth. His tongue just didn't seem to work anymore. _Why couldn't he speak?!_ He covered his eyes with his forearm, blocking his view from the tempting view. "I want you, James."

"What do you want me to do to you?" Aleks swore he could hear a growl deep down in his lover's throat. His hand slid up his thigh, and a weak moan escaped his lips. "Tell me what to do, Aleksandr."

He was absolutely melting. Every breath he took felt like his first, like reliving his descent into hell over and over again. " _Fuck_ me already, idiot."

An any other day, that would've earned him a slap to the dick, but James felt somewhat merciful. He tugged on the waistline of his pajama pants, pulling them down just far enough for Aleks' cock to pop out with a groan.

Pure seven inches of pleasure, veins painted his shaft in lines of blue like little train tracks. James' enjoyed pressing his lips to each and every vein, watching as Aleks squirmed and squealed. He pulled Aleks' fist out of his hair, before pulling his tongue up the sweet skin of his shaft. Little moans from Aleks persisted him to keep going, getting quicker to the point where his pale fists gripped onto the sheets feverishly.

Aleks grabbed his own cock in his hands, taking James' head in the other forcefully. He shoved the mess of curls down, surprised at how James' complied. Deep moans forced their way out through his tightly shut lips.

This was his favorite part, everytime. James sucked for a few minutes on his lover's cock, swirling his tongue over the tip and hollowing out his cheeks like a professional. He could smell Aleks' sweat from there, and he ravished in the scent of it. His mind was enveloped by every twitch and movement Aleks made.

"James." Aleks' eyes were wide with lust, his lips parted in way that invited a kiss. "James, I'm going to cum." His head leaned back, preparing to unload, only to be disappointed.

A string of saliva was the only thing that connected James with his cock as it twitched roughly in the cold air. James' smile was evil and cold; a mistress in a male's body. Aleks' wasn't surprised in the slightest, but for once he wished he could cum straight down James' tight throat. The thought made his toes _curl_.

"Turn over, sweetheart." James growled. He complied, sticking his ass in the air submissively. His pants drifted lower, finally falling at his knees. "Damn..." James just barely whispered. Before Aleks could say something cocky, James' jeans fell to the ground.

The pop of a bottle opening made his skin crawl in agony. James took his time getting himself set up on the bed, unable to tear his eyes away from the way Aleks' cock dribbled on the blankets. He rubbed the lubricant liberally on his cock; it was quite thick and he knew it hurt Aleks' sometimes.

Cold fingers pressed onto Aleks' hole, forcing their way in, his cock once again twitching and begging to be touched. James rutted two digits in at first, stretching the ring and preparing it. He added another finger, and began curling them into his sensitive sweet spot, causing the boy to shake and groan.

"You're going to make me cum," Aleks cried desperately, "Please fuck me before I finish, James."

He didn't say anything, simply pressed the tip into his hole, watching as it was swallowed within the pink skin. Aleks' legs shook under him, and James was scared he might give out before he was able to let him finish.

He rutted his hips in him, painfully slow at first. Aleks bit into the pillow, suffocating the loud moans that erupted from him. A deathly scream came from him, and it scared James shitless, but he allowed the vibrant orgasm to happen. He shot white violently onto the pillows of their king bed and his semen dripped down the fabric, traveling from point A to point B. He continued shooting for a few moments as James pounded into him much harder, trying to get his own orgasm over with.

After a moment, James' hip dug into Aleks' ass, cumming as far as he could into the other man. He gave out a throaty groan as he struggled not to collapse onto the other boy- and failed. With his cock still deep within him, he held the boy close.

"James," Aleks choked out, "You're crushing me."

"Sorry!" James laughed, he pulled his soft cock out of him gently, as if not to hurt him. He was exhausted, but he managed to pull himself off of the bed and tug his jeans back on. "I hope you enjoyed that, honey."

"I love you, James."

"I know, Aleks." He helped the other boy up from his position, tossing him his shirt and wiping of the semen off of his skin. "Let me make you some breakfast."

Aleks gave a weak smile and began tugging his jeans back onto his hips where they belonged. He was silent as he fell back asleep, pulling the blankets over him. They had work to do, but James would excuse this as just a nap.

He continued cooking as normal, getting suspicious looks from Joe as he sliced the meat. If Joe had heard anything, he had most definitely heard that, but he wasn't quite sure if it turned him on or not.

The hunt would begin tonight, and he didn't have time to think about that kind of stuff.


	8. The Beanie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The lupin theif finds his way into the cannibal household once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SORRY FOR THE WAIT!  
> I've been sick/tired/upset, and I've been trying to deal with that. I'm sorry for any dissapointment! 
> 
> This chapter might suck a little bit, but I tried, I swear.

He sat in the corner, every hair on his body prickled and standing upright from his skin. He didn't expect them to _actually_ let him stay at home. Not only did they need his help, but holy shit, this way terrifying.

Hellhounds were known to be fearless and deadly, but as most say, Joe fell far from the family tree. Subconscious whimpers forced their way up his tight throat; the only noise in the entire building.

James had ordered him to keep all the lights off just in case the theif looked into any windows, but that had left him at a great disadvantage. He couldn't see two feet in front of him, and he was trapped in a corner by his own fear.

As a child, he would avoid his fears by just sleeping through them, and to this day, he still did. He knodded off as the sunset just began falling past the rolling hills of the area, letting the night begin.

\----------------------

_"You're such a good boy, Joe." Aleks praised. His pale hands drifted over Joe's unzipped pants, before tugging them down. A finger trailed up the clothed bulge, and the pup arched his back with a grunt. Aleks shushed him gently before pulling down his warm boxers to expose him to the cold air. "You don't want James to find us, do you?" Aleks smiled coldly. "He wouldn't be happy with you."_

_From then on, his lips were sealed. His teeth scratched and scraped on his rough tongue, and his warm blood coated his mouth in a strong sulfuric taste. Aleks had begun sucking and-_

\-------------------------

There was no air going into his lungs. _Why couldn't he breathe?_ His eyes opened, sleepy yet fearful, in an obvious panic.

Every cell in his body told him to claw his way out of whatever was holding him, but the sharp pains in his neck told him not to move an inch from where he sat. He could feel the blood struggle to reach his brain, and his vision snapped into reality and back everytime the grip around his neck artery got stronger. A warm trickle dripped down onto his collar-bone; pooling and staining his nice shirt.

He choked out something incoherent into the dark room, but a ray of light glowed into him. _Was he seeing heaven?_ It was a running joke in the hellhound community that they could never go to heaven, so what _was_ it?

"Why is it _locked_?" It growled. He could see the pure outline of the figure, and despite the lack of air, he would smell the pure musk on him. A lupin. The glowing eyes always mystified him to a point of absolute fear.

The lupin had asked a question, but he still held Joe's throat firmly in his fist as if he were to escape. The lupin's nose twitched, and he dropped him to the ground with no hesitation or concern.

"Hellhound blood smells like _shit_." He hissed out, wiping his bloody claws on the couch cushion. That would leave a stain, and Joe knew he would have to clean it out. He sputtered and coughed a few moments before catching his waning breath. Eyes met hesitantly with the intruder, and parted lips struggled to find words.

"Sorry." He didn't realize it until he actually spoke how hoarse he sounded. It tickled his throat, but he resisted the urge to hack more. He was frozen in place, unable to say a word.

"Is it locked because of _me_?" He laughed, ignoring the apology. His lupin tail wagged involuntarily as murderous thoughts passed through his mind.

His eyes opened more and more, adjusting to the darkness as his heart bounded in his ribs. He could feel his chest tighten with the possibility of a panic attack, but he breathed slowly and fully to calm down as much as possible.

"Yes, actually." Every second he stalled, he knew that his loves were seconds closer to being home. Seconds closer to _saving him_. He sat up from his point on the carpet and into a more dominant pose. "My boy- my _friends_ need it." He almost let that slip.

He didn't even really know what their little polyamorous status was, but he knew it wasn't the right time to hold a meeting on it.

A smirk cut into the lupin's cheeks. That comment didn't slide past him unnoticed.

He backed off for a moment, before slumping down on the couch next to Joe. Their tails softly entwined, and Joe could feel himself get nauseous.

"You guys are really fucked up."

The comment caught him off guard, and his tail snuck back inbetween his legs for safe keeping. "What do you mean?"

"I _mean_ ," he spoke, tapping his fingers on his belly lightly. He may have been a little chubby, but that didn't mean he wasn't hungry. "I've been here before, you idiot. You guys have so much food, and you never share."

His stomach twisted in knots. He was very grateful for what Aleks and James had done for him, but he had never considered that there could be other people like him in the same position. His eyes traced over the boy in the darkness, and took every detail he could into his memory just in case these were his last moments.

His cheeks were full and covered in dark stubble. His eyes had a warm golden glow that drifted into his very core like drinking lukewarm water. On his head there was a worn beanie with holes for ears and holes that were made just from wear-and-tear.

Involuntarily his hand drifted to his own beanie. Small holes were cut to fit his hellhound ears snugly, but it could definitely fit a lupin just the same.

He tugged it off his long locks and held it out to the curious lupin.

He took it in his paws cautiously. "What is this?" His fingers fiddled with the ear holes, inspecting them deeply. "Are you sure you can give this to someone who almost _killed_ you?"

"I've been through much worse." He stood his ground, but every word he said shook with fear. He had gotten so far; he wouldn't let some loser ruin his happiness. "Now leave, okay?"

The lupin replaced the hat on his head with the other in silence. His ears twitched softly as he adjusted himself. "You were homeless too, weren't you?"

Tears fought back from falling, but to no avail. They dripped down his cheeks; he had answered the question with no words. " _Leave_."

"Hear me out, please." He blurted out. "I have been living off of animal meat for weeks-"

"You stole from us _two days_ ago! And you just tried _again_!" Little flickers of fire licked at the top of his hellhound ears; harmless, but scary to the ignorant eye. "You are directly hurting the men I love. I can't give you anything."

"I can be useful, I swear."

"Yeah," Joe scoffed, "You're really useful for thievery."

"I'm am a thief," He put a hand up to his chest in defence, but the words he spoke didn't really match up with the heroic stance. "but I'm also a master lockpicker, I'm silent as shit, I can be really good for you guys."

Joe's mind raced with surprise and fear, and it mixed together into some kind of poisonous concoction. He stood up without a word, and the steps he took to the freezer were the most shameful he'd ever taken in his life.

He stood on his tippie-toes as he reached for the key on the door frame; he was much shorter than everyone else in the household, and they never considered the hellhound's struggles. Unlocking the freezer, the feeling of cold air cooled the droplets of sweat on his face.  
  
He could smell the frozen blood and it pleased him greatly. He loved opening it up in the morning when he helped cook breakfast with James. The person behind him was not James though, to his disappoint.

He opened the nearest tupperware container, and peered harshly at the heart before shoving it over to the Lupin. He nodded respectfully before digging into the frozen heart like a popsicle. It sent shivers down his spine just thinking about it; the crunching of ice on teeth irritated him to no end.

"What's your name?" Joe muttered. He rubbed his neck and felt the cuts the lupin had made on him. Sulfuric fumes drifted inbetween the two as did their fear and caution.

"Trevor." He licked the cold blood of his fingers and claws before handing the empty container back to the boy. "My name is Trevor."


	9. The Waterfall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The sensitive thief is captured, given some dinner, and given a chance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a long chapter, but it is shit. I don't understand why you guys like this story, but I'll keep it going until I reach the ending, and yes, it does have an eventual ending.
> 
> I've done some studying on polyamorous relationships to give some life to the story. Hope you appreciate it <3

 

 

**Waterfall, The Pack By: Juliesen Night**

**He stands beside me,**  
**In awe of the sight before thee.**  
**His hand has mine.**  
  
**We both look at each other.**  
**Nothing can be told from his eyes.**  
**The eyes of Ashure haze.**  
  
**"Do not be afraid..**  
**We are home."**  
  
**The sound of rushing water,**  
**Crashing into its ever blue.**  
**The beauty of the growth around it.**  
**I call it home.**  
  
**This was the place,**  
**Where the wolves shall be born.**  
**Creation of a pack.**  
**Has just begun.**  
  
**Werewolves alive.**  
**Waterfalls of Beauty.**  
**A family.**  
**For eternity.**

 -------------

The longer Joe watched, the more violet Trevor's hand became.

James stood over the lupin with broad shoulders and claws and the fear of amputation slowly became more and more apparent to him. The cannibal's attack had been sudden as if he had smelled the sulfur- which he probably did, considering how strong it truly smelled.

"Joe." He snarled out; James' fangs sprung out white in the dark room like icicles broken off the ceiling of the freezer. "Did he _hurt_ you?"

His face and cheeks flushed in panic. He opened his mouth, but his tongue wouldn't move fast enough to convey the ideas running through his head. He swallowed down his dry throat and stood up, attempting to cover his neck; the blood was everywhere; dripping on the floor and down his chest.

A deeper shade of purple rose to his skin; the lupin pup whined in feverish pain, but he put up no struggle. "I can smell it, Joe. Just tell me." James' voice lowered into his parental-voice- _oh how Joe hated it_ \- and shivers trailed down to his tail.

"He did-" The pup whined louder, almost a scream. "He didn't mean it! I mean-"

Lupin blood flowed from Trevor's wrists; he was lucky if an artery wasn't getting torn apart. The sickly smell of lupin blood was enough for most cannibals to lose their appetite, but not James. _Never_ James. He pressed harder into the pale skin.

"Stop!" Joe cried. His feet pressed forwards, and he clocked James in the cheek with the force of a hammer.

"Woah-" Aleks muttered past the doorway. He was the only person smart enough to flick on the light and view the splotches of blood and bruises on everyone. Joe hissed at him viciously, huddling over Trevor who put pressure on his wound. "Everyone needs to calm the fuck down."

"Stay away," Joe uttered. His animalistic nature took hold, tail flicking back and forth, back arched precariously, and eyes wide with attentiveness. "Don't hurt him, Aleks."

He really hated bringing this pup into the house sometimes, with his behavior and protective stances. He stepped back anyways, dragging the bagged corpse from the hunt with him.

With a puffy yet unbruised eye, James stood, cautious and observant of the young boy.

The couple sometimes forgot that Joe had such strong emotions; such a strong background.

A moment of silence was taken, allowing Joe to regain his composure, and grasping the lupin's hand in his, he could feel his phobia of the wolf-like creatures disappear.

"Don't kill someone unless absolutely necessary." Joe spoke monotonously. "I know lupins aren't edible; _you_ know they aren't edible. Why-" He paused, choking on words that seemed to have been choked back for weeks. "Why do you have no _sympathy?!_ "

Silence echoed inbetween the four walls. His mind, his opinion- _his heart_ \- had been opened.

\-------------

The introduction was a bit awkward, but otherwise, everything seemed to go decently. Trevor's tail swished in the air nervously behind him, thunking against the wood of the chair he sat on. He was hunched over in a defensive manner, eyes soft and looming over the food these people had served him.

Now that he had calmed down, his eyes had stopped glowing, much to Joe's relief. They were a warm, and brown, and hid behind dark eyelashes that matched his equally dark hair. His brown eyes were a very similar color to the wood on the table, Joe's flowing hair, or the lovely seared spleen on his plate.

All eyes were on him- the _'guest'_ \- as he took his first hesitant bite. It was just barely crispy on the outside, but once his teeth cut into the soft organ, the inner blood seeped out leisurely onto his tongue.

"Well?" Joe spoke softly. The blood was still leaking down his throat when he opened his mouth; thickening into clots as it slithered down his esophagus. "Do you like it better cooked?"

Trevor chuckled lightly, cautious in case that was the wrong answer. "I just like that it's an actual human for once."

James ate silently, pouting and mushing the half-cooked spleen on his plate with a fork. This asshole almost killed his Joe, and he was just _okay_ with it? It was okay because he was starving? James would have rather let him die.

Aleks seemed to be the only neutral party. He knew what it was like, having to fight for food and all, so he didn't mind if he needed help. Joe's wounds were easy to treat and nowhere near lethal; all he could ask for was Joe to be more careful.

Joe joked around him for a few minutes in the near-silent dining room, even after their plates were licked clean and put in the dishwasher, they continued chatting like kid; politics, monster-rights, homelessness. They just had the most meaningful conversations; just a lupin and a hellhound.

"So how did you end up here?" Trevor asked with an unknowing smile. Joe's hand flew to the opposite wrist- he could still feel where the fracture was- and he opened his mouth, but words tangled around each other in a boxing match. The lupin's eyes grew wide, and stopped the other with a gentle hand squeeze. "You don't have to tell me. I understand."

"It's alright, dude." Joe started. He explained slowly, using more detail than he did when he explained it to the cannibals. His tongue twisted when he started talking about the beating; his broken wrist, his busted lip, black eyes. He had so many pairs of sunglasses to wear to school just so no one noticed the deep purple bruising.

Trevor was silent for a minute, before nodding solemnly in understanding. He stood, tucking his chair back into place with a squeak. He stood for a moment, staring at the wide-eyed pup before him.

"Are..." He paused, "Are you coming?"

"Where?" Joe asked, surprise evident on his face. This lupin was not good with words, and that was obvious, but it never stopped him from being so painfully charming.

"Just trust me!" He grabbed Joe's hand, and hot and cold skin met like it never had before. They ran off, bellies full of flesh and shoes full of pebbles from the sidewalk. James kept a watchful parental eye, but he knew he cold only do so much, and controlling these boys was not one of them.

Trevor's nose twitched fiercely as the wind blew scents in and out of his nose at a rapid pace. It gave Joe a headache; the smell of barbecue and watermelon and scented candles was assaulting him from every angle.

Joe trusted him blindly; to most people, it was idiotic, but to him, he was simply naive, and he loved being so. He knew what it was like to not be trusted or appreciated, and so he always seemed to gravitate towards anyone who needed him.

Or maybe they gravitated to him.

It seemed like they had been walking for ten minutes before Trevor stopped in his tracks. His hand was still entwined with Joe's, but it seemed like neither of them noticed or cared. Fingers were let loose, and Trevor jumped down a small plateau of about seven feet, hitting the ground harshly, but on his feet.

The various scents of wet earth and plants tickled Joe's nose and appealed to his hound side, earthy and floral. He jumped down as well, stumbling before Trevor caught him in his hefty arms. Mud stuck into every crevice of his soles, and he could feel the water sink in through the thick fabric of his Converses.

The sound of flowing water got stronger and stronger as they marched forward, the melodious squishing of mud and water matched to the beat of their feet. Eventually, after the monotonous walk was halted, they stood under the crashing and striking waterfall. It was quite a tourist spot honestly, but being around three in the morning, no one was crowding around the rails, desperate to see aquatic life.

"What," Joe scoffed, amused smile crossing his illuminated cheeks. "Is this a _date?_ "

The streetlights glowed a hazy orange glow over both of them. Trevor turning, and the lights caught his irises just right. "Only if you want it to be." He laughed. He turned back away, trying to hide the piercing red blush coming from his cheeks. He was a sucker for smart-asses.

Joe laughed along, joking with him as they got closer the the waterfall itself. The falling water blew dewy air into their faces, gracing cheeks with drops and wistful smiles.

"Is this it?" Joe asked. His eyes loomed over every rock and wave the waterfall made, like it was his own little part of the world.

"Well..." Trevor shrugged, "It's behind the waterfall."

Joe snickered at him, unbelieving, but began removing his valuable jacket and shoes anyway. "I'm pretty sure there's nothing behind there."

"Of course, that's what they tell you." Trevor's eyes rolled into the back of his skull as his mind filled with random propaganda bullshit. "Just follow me."

Joe hesitated just long enough for the lupin to notice. His hellhound tail snuck inbetween his legs.

"You do trust me, right Joe?" Trevor asked, hand offered to him.

A gulp snuck down Joe's throat, and even though his heart was telling him to have nothing to do with this dude, he took Trevor's hand once again. It felt like their hands were just meant to be together.

"You have to jump through, alright?" Trevor said over the sound of the crashing water. "It'll hurt if you go too slow." He smiled affectionately as he gave another subtle squeeze to Joe's hand.

"Gotcha."

They stepped forward into the shallow river, feeling the smooth water drift inbetween their toes. The liquid soaked into their jeans, sloshing around in their shoes. The closer they got, the more Joe felt little drops cut his cheeks from sheer speed and impact; Trevor had no reaction to it in the slightest.

They leaped through, and as Joe crashed to the ground, sharp stones cut into the pale palms of his hands.

" _This,_ " Trevor spoke, holding his hands up in sarcastic delight, "is the Cretin Hideaway."


	10. The Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trevor reveals the Cretin Hideout, which in its entirety, holds his deep past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, my computer broke down and had to be fixed for a while. I finished this before it broke, but I still had to revise it, so that's why it's not only short but late. 
> 
> Thank you <3

 

**Random Thoughts By: Mercury Chap**

**Falling in love, a pain**  
**Wanting to love, a pain**  
**Being in love, a pain**  
**So I run.**  
  
**Loving an outcaste, a shame**  
**Helping an outcaste, a shame**  
**Being an outcaste, a shame**  
**So I hide.**  
  
**Doing something for ourselves, selfishness**  
**Staying happy for ourselves, selfishness**  
**Raising voice for ourselves, selfishness**  
**So I stay quiet.**

 

Oh my god..." Joe uttered. By the time it had passed his lips, he regretted even speaking at all.

A large group of monsters- roughly fifty people- sat in a giant cave, obviously carved out by hand. Large chisel marks and broken stone littered the area, and it permanently smelled like chalk and limestone.

Just from his nose, he could tell most of these people were lupins. He should've been able to smell this from a mile away, but-

"The waterfall masks the scent of everyone here." Trevor spoke softly, only now seeing the sleeping lupin children sat calmly in the corner. He helped Joe up from the puddle of water he sat in, drying his hand on his t-shirt before he continued.

"What are all these people _doing_ here?" Joe asked, biting his lip in confusion. "Why are there _kids_ here?"

"They can't get their own food. No one here can hunt but me. I'm the only healthy male left, and with a lot of the women here having children, we're not risking their lives."

"So..." Joe said, astonished, "You've been feeding... Everyone here?"

A baby's cry echoed in the hollowed out hideout, but was quickly silenced as a malnourished mother gave her minimal strength to breast feed it.

"Yes." Trevor muttered quietly. The resting souls in the cave became aware of the new intruder, but relaxed as they realized it was just another hellhound. "Yes, I feed all of them."

The air in Joe's lungs felt thick and humid, and it took more effort just to breathe. In the very back wall, he could see shivering hellhound children, with no parents to use for warmth. A cannibal toddler sat quietly in his resting mother's lap, so very ignorant of his surroundings. Most of the people here... were _children._

"This is horrible." Joe muttered. "We can help you, we can help them-"

"There's more than just this." Trevor huffed. "It's not possible. Really." He whispered softly this time, as if the walls had ears. Everyone in here seemed to be aware of their futures already, and were mildly accepting of it.

Joe's words became stagnant, the gears in his head turning as his ears twitched at every little noise. "Why are we here, Trevor?"

"I just wanted you to know..." He paused, eyes drifting to the rocky floor. "I wanted you to know why I hurt you. Why I broke in. And I'm sorry."

His hand brushed against the bandaging on his neck and into his hair, and he took note of how the cuts throbbed under his touch. He met eyes with the lupin, and as expected, he looked back eagerly; the look of needing validation.

"I understand," Joe spoke, and as he gripped Trevor's hand, the boy jumped. "Look, I can't promise anything, but we will help the best we can."

Joe turned his back, taking a few hesitant steps towards the rushing water. Just as he was about to look back, Trevor spoke.

"Wait."

"Yeah?"

"I want to go with you." Trevor's voice sounded so sure, so positive of his decisions.

"Why?" Joe asked. "You need to help your people." Joe ushered to the group in front of him. "Or our people, I guess."

"Joining you guys would give me a chance to do something I never could do in this life." Trevor explained. "I always hunt on my own, I always sleep on my own, I've never had my own home. I also..." He paused, placing a fist to his mouth and coughing out rushed, incoherent words. He was ashamed of his thoughts, and could never voice what was on his mind, especially something like _that._

"What was that?" Joe laughed.

His cheeks burnt with blush, but he tugged his worn jacket up to cover up his face. He wouldn't let some hellhound get to him. Damn that smile. "Nothing." He smiled briefly at him, but instantly turned away. "I'll tell you one day."

Joe nodded, unaware of the connotation of Trevor's words. He hesitated trying to talk to anyone here; they seemed very defensive, and more than tired. Checking his watch, his expression dropped.

"C'mon." He grabbed Trevor's hand.

"What?" Trevor pulled away; gently but with enough force to startle Joe.

"It's getting super late." Joe spoke through parted lips. "You said you wanted to join us, right? This is your chance."

He froze, mind adrift. Did he really say that? _A chance?_ He had always wanted something like this- a chance at happiness- but life had always seemed so cruel, even since the day he was born.

Born on the streets, McDonald's had been a frequent meal. His mother was a pacifist; fighting for the rights lupins didn't have, for her son's future. That always came with a price though. To look good to the public eye, she never hunted, never ate human flesh, and soon became ill and passed away, leaving her teenage son to fend for himself.

Already homeless and a bastard child to a starving prostitute, to add on, now he was an orphan.

He smiled, dimples showing; he would be honored to join a new life for once. Someone else's life. Something fulfilling and successful; that bite of human meat they gifted him had tasted better than anything he'd ever received: the love of his mother, his first nice meal, and now, it felt as if he had family.

To be fair, Joe seemed to be the only one who liked him. It was understandable though. He had almost choked out the cannibals' boyfriend. He should have gotten a much harder punishment than some deep cuts in his arms.

Joe seemed to notice his sulking, and squeezed his hand, as Trevor had done before. The hellhounds skin was so warm and soft it lulled his worries away, and his _'thank you'_ s were able to roll smoothly off of his tongue for once. He was so grateful he had chosen the cannibals' home as a target.

More realistically, the cannibals' and the hellhound's home. They did live together, after all. It was quite apparent that they had some affection towards each other, but he didn't really seem to understand it. How could three men all be so in love with each other?

Well, it was kind of like how he was really starting to fall for Joe. How could he love someone who was in love with someone else? That is like the equivalent to romantic suicide... _right?_

Not really. It was so sweet to watch them interact, it warmed his shriveled up, thief heart. He would love to make that trio into the Four Musketeers. Even though there were only three musketeers... whatever.

With Joe's hand in his, he knew whatever this was would make him happy.


	11. The Triad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What is this supposed to be? A couple? A triad? An orgy?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I barely proof-read this one, so I apologize. I had been writing it for so long that I figured you guys would want it whether or not it had minor spelling mistakes. If you actually don't mind, I really appreciate it <3

He rubbed his clammy palms together without thinking, an obvious sign to the men in front of him that he was so impossibly nervous. The two cannibals had been enjoying a cuddle on the couch when the door slammed behind them. The blur of a lupin throttled up the stairs, and before Aleks could run after him, Joe stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

"Aleks..." Joe muttered. Aleks turned to the hellhound, wanting answers, but only found the sweetest sight. His hellhound ears layed flat against his messy locks, his tail hung low, and his face painted a shameful emotion. "We needed to talk."

"Yeah, pup?" Aleks asked. "You have something you want to explain?"

In the background, sounds of heavy feet and rustling drifted downstairs. The lupin was settling in, and couldn't make it more obvious.

"He..." Joe's voice was as small as a mouse's, so scared and ashamed. The last thing he wanted was Aleks and James to get mad, but he couldn't help but meet Jame's untrustworthy gaze. "He _really_ needed help. Seeing as you guys helped me, I figured-"

"Don't just _'figure'_ things, Joey." James uttered. He finally got up from the safety of the sofa waltzed over to the boys with hands deep in his pockets. "I really don't trust that dude. I thought feeding him dinner was enough, and then he would just leave!"

"Give a man a fish, and he eats for a day, James." Joe sighed, repeating words straight from memory. His voice had begun to crescendo, some bravery filling his lungs. "Teach a man to fish, and he eats for life."

"He obviously knows how to hunt." Aleks chuckled lightly. He could tell he was holding back in case this conversation got too serious. "He got you pretty gnarly."

James glared at him briefly, before speaking. "How is your neck, by the way?"

Without saying much else, or at the very least getting a statement from Joe himself, James stepped forward and began unraveling the messily tied bandaging.

"H-Hey! Stop that!" He pushed James' hands away, but at this point the light cloth was already fluttering to the ground like a puff of blood-soaked smoke.

As he turned his head around to test the wounds, he could feel how sticky his blood was on his skin. They had cleaned him off, but apparently he had bled through quite easily anyways. The smell of sulfur, once covered and held within the bandages, now wafted itself into everyone's noses. It was now a lot thicker, matching the thickness and dryness of the clotting blood around his throat.

"Does it still sting any?" James muttered huskily. He went from his parental voice to his erotic voice so quickly that it sent shivers up his spine. The softest, smoothest tongue he had ever felt grazed the wounds of his neck so gently, so faintly, that the burning of his open flesh didn't compare to the knot in his stomach.

Aleks laughed as James sputtered the foul tasting blood out, trying to keep his intimate composure together. James chuckled before washing out his mouth gingerly with a water bottle nearby. He dissapeared into the next room momentarily, and came back with a full-on first-aid kit.

"No, by the way..." Joe smiled. James peered up, confused, before the wires in his brain connected and sparked. "It doesn't still sting. Especially not when you do that."

James gave him a feather of a kiss on the lips before opening up the shabby, plastic first-aid kit. Bandages tumbled and rolled on to the floor like toilet paper rolls. Being hunters, they naturally had to have this stuff on first hand, but... This seemed like _overkill._

Aleks was the nurse, handing James odd sprays and creams that were spread liberously on his throat. James manned the roll of the doctor, comforting Joe every time he winced and flinched at the burning sensation. He was so grateful to be cared for like this.

The bandage was wrapped a little more tightly this time, hoping to put pressure on the delicate wounds. He smiled calmly as the soft throbbing slowed down, and the burning subsided like tiny tidal waves.

He opened his eyes once he realized he had closed them, and his sweet brown eyes caught the sight of bright smiles. James kissed once again against the outer roughness of the bandaging, pressing down just hard enough to feel him and know he was still there.

He laughed, wrapping his arms around James' shoulders as the other man cradled him in a dip. A more passionate slip of tongues happened, and he could taste the lingering flavor of his own sulfur blood on his rough tongue. It was caring, thoughtless, but more than anything, it was so human, despite being between two monsters.

They pulled away from each other hesitantly, but it seemed too out of place to make out in the living room with another cannibal watching. Another cannibal who's eyes still lingered over the redness of his husband's freshly bitten-on lips.

Was he _jealous?_ No, not really. He didn't know what exactly this was, what they were, but he enjoyed watching their little triad unfold. Sometimes though, the triad felt a lot more like any other average couple.

He began to wander off, possibly into his bedroom, but his feet were way too ahead of his thought process. Whatever he was thinking was interupted when a hand wrapped around his wrist. The grasp pulled him backwards, and he stumbled into a tangle of arms.

"You're such an idiot." James whispered against his neck. Aleks had felt his lips for years; every crevice, wrinkle, and scruff of facial hair was something he had been mapping out since their first kiss. It felt oddly familiar, like a mother's voice, and it always lulled his worries away. "He may be our pup, but you'll always be _my_ Aleks."

As he said that Joe, for the first time, initiated a move towards Aleks in the form of pressing their foreheads together. He stared into the pool of brown and flecks of gold before pressing his pink hellhound lips onto his own. Aleks mind swam through so many thoughts at once, one after the other burying each other in the white-noise clambering inside his head.

Was this... 'right'? What did it mean to be 'right'? Was it okay that he was really starting to love another man? They had had their moments, including cuddles and small words of affection, but never had Aleks felt these pair of lips before. Never had he ever had to map out another pair of lips before.

He pulled away, looking at his spouse with embarrassment, but his gaze was met with a weak nod.

"I think we should be a trio from now on." James uttered. He pulled in Aleks for a quick peck, completing the triangle. Joe's tail wagged loudly against the couch behind him as he thought of how much affection this pair would be giving him, and how many different lips he could still feel ghosting over his skin. "A trio." He trailed off, but his eyes glimmered with genuinity.

"Sure," Aleks chuckled softly. His voice shook with innocent fear and pure happiness. "a trio we are."

\------------------

By the time the trio had dispersed, the sun was beginning to rise. This meant that not only was everyone's sleep schedules now off, but they had also left Trevor alone in the house.

In the moment of having his tongue tied, literally around someone else's, he had neglected the memory of the lupin that had invaded their home. The moment he opened the front door, the pup had scampered up the stairs. He had assumed he would simply fall asleep on a couch somewhere.

The lupin's fluffy ears twitched at the noise of the door opening, but nothing inside of his stirred. A quiet snore came out of him, extremely out of character for a bigger guy. He was very tired, and maybe finally showing someone his emotional baggage had helped him fall asleep.

Joe hardly slept in his single bed anymore anyways. With Trevor curled up in the covers, he knew it was pointless to even try. Before he could leave, he noticed his jacket rumpled up behind Trevor's turned back.

As he stretched over the sleeping body, a fist tightened around the fabric of his shirt. He expected to look down and see the look murder in his eyes, but his eyes were still as closed as ever, but the soft snores had stopped. Joe wondered for a moment if he was actually awake; the lupin mumbled out something soft in response to his thoughts, but it didn't seem to answer anything in particular.

Joe allowed himself to be pulled forward. He pulled the covers over himself like he did every other night or so, but now, there was another wolf-like creature embodying his bed.

He remembered a time when he used to be deathly afraid of lupins. His dad had always told him so many stories about them, but now that there was one in front of him, he only had more proof that his dad was a complete asshole.

The sleeping figure nestled into the sternum of Joe, and his warm breath ran softly over his t-shirt like Summer winds. The lupin smelled like the forest; sage, lemongrass, and pine trees. It was so fascinating and attractive that he placed his large nose onto the head of the boy, before tugging his old beanie off his head.

The sunrise glowed with new possibilities, and shades of red and orange painted their skin in similar shades, as if they were anything but different. _Anything_ but two impossibly different beings. _Anything_ but two monsters wrapping around each other like they wished they could do on cold nights, when neither of them had homes or families or loved ones.

_Anything but a hellhound falling hopelessly in love with three different men at once._


	12. The Virgin Hellhound

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What is Joe feeling? Does he trust the man that almost killed him? Better yet... Does he love him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SORRY FOR THE WAIT!!  
> I was at RTX for a while! It was a great event, and everyone there was a blast to talk to. I got to meet the boys, and honestly, meeting them makes me feel bad for writing this shit. They're super super sweet dudes.

**Morning Dew By: N.P.**

**Gleaming morning dew**   
**Kisses the flowers awake**   
**Intimate mornings**

 

He woke up with a set of burly arms wrapped firmly around him. The tight grip didn't hurt much, but he could feel the steady heart beat of the companion next to him, and the slow breathes he took every few seconds. It calmed him after his initial realization that he wasn't inbetween his cannibal boyfriends, but instead, with another man, cuddling gently in the afternoon light.

The sun blazed into his eyes, even through the dark curtains. The light irritated him normally, being a hellhound, but he snapped his eyelids closed and snuggled back under he covers.

Trevor's mouth was slightly parted, emitting soft puffs of warm air against Joe's face. He struggled to keep himself from getting closer to the lupin, especially when his large ears twitched in his sleep. His own pair of ears wiggled eagerly as he listened to the small mumbles the other echoed in his sleep.

His eyelids moved, but he still hadn't woken. He seemed to be having a dream, the way his arms twitched and clung to Joe even tighter. He only gave little noises and random words for a while, until he finally said something that made Joe's ears perk up quickly. " _Mom..._ " He softly uttered against the pillow under his head. His eyebrows furrowed as if he was deep in painful thoughts that he couldn't get out of.

Joe sat dumbfounded as he processed what was happening. What had happened to his mom again? Hadn't she... _died?_ He frowned deeply at the thought of what this pup had to go through. He had lost his mother too, and even though he had a home afterwards, it never really felt like it. Trevor was legitimately homeless after that.

He moved his own arms around the boy gently, as if not to wake him from his dream. Their noses bumped together, but he ignored any thoughts that swam through his head for a moment. He closed his eyes and sighed. All he had to do right now was make sure he knew he was safe here. He felt it was some sort of mortal duty; maybe this was his calling. Being there for these guys. He wasn't very good at it yet, but if this is what they needed, he would be it.

He could feel a gentle thump vibrate through the mattress and he knew from muscle memory that one of their tails was most definitely thumping against the sheets. He did his own mental check- nope, that wasn't him for once. He opened his eyes cautiously, and as expected, the lupin's brown eyes gazed at him impatiently. Little flecks of gold in his irises caught the sunlight just right, reflecting gorgeous colors and hues into Joe's.

"What?" Joe asked hoarsely. He had just woken up and his first words had inevitably revealed how thirsty he was from their long slumber.

He realized after a moment that Trevor's waterline was barely holding his tears in. His arms loosened their grip, and both men were able to get a full breathe of air without the restriction of the other person's body. "I'm so glad you're here right now." He laughed nervously, using his sleeves to wipe away watery tears.

"Why is that?" Joe chuckled. His cheeks were burning with the realization of just how cute this boy was. Even if he was a thief, and possibly a blatant murderer, he was so sweet and oddly kind.

"I had a nasty dream." Trevor shrugged away Joe's touch, rolling over on to the other side of the small single bed. "It was my mom this time."

" _This_ time? Do you have nightmares often?"

He swallowed roughly before opening his mouth again. "Almost every night. I figure I deserve it though, with everything I've done."

Joe's laughter cut through the air like a sword, and it caught Trevor off guard. When Joe realized Trevor was just staring at him with a wide eyed expression, his laughter trailed off awkwardly.

"Oh," Joe paused. His smile dropped into a worried frown, and his hand naturally placed itself on the lupin's shoulder. "No no no! I didn't mean to laugh, it's just..." He paused, looking around the room just in case anyone happened to be holding cue cards to help him out. "I've done a lot worse. You're a good- _a great_ \- person, Trevor."

"Are you sure?" He asked, not missing a beat. He expected that comment, but no matter how many times he heard it from a lot of different people, it never changed. It never felt different. "I did hurt you pretty bad."

"I ran away from a home that fed me and kept me warm. I chose to be homeless while you had no choice. I fucked up really badly, and I know for a fact that you did nothing wrong." Joe said. His eyes caught nothing in particular, instead drifting over Trevor. "You hurting me is nothing compared to how much pain you've had to feel."

His hand shot out, and grabbed Trevor's tugging it closer to him. He pressed it against his lip and he could feel every knuckle under his skin as it brushed against him. With Joe's free hand, he began unwrapping his bandaging. It twirled away and fell onto the bed inbetween them before Joe tossed the unsightly wrapping away.

Joe began moving Trevor's hand closer to his revealed neck, keeping his shy eyes from meeting the Lupin's. Trevor tugged away suddenly, stuttering nervously and backing away.

He only stopped once his back hit the curtains behind him. "I..." He paused hesitantly. "I don't want to hurt you again, Joe."

"Trust me." Joe whispered. He took the boy's hand once again, more gently this time. The initial skin contact made him wince, but he masked any pain in case it would scare the lupin off. Trevor's thick fingers trailed over the frail and delicate wounds on the hellhound's neck, feeling ever divet that his claws had made in the skin.

The blood had dried for the most part, but the smell still lingered and infested the air. Trevor breathed roughly as many instincts took his brain for a loop; _kill, hurt, or love. Fight, run, or kiss._ The hellhound's eyes had fluttered closed as he focused on the stinging sensation vibrating through his skin.

Stubbled skin brushed up against his bearded chin, and a pair of fanged teeth hit his own teeth painfully as their mouths smashed together. Immediately, Trevor took control. He sat up from the bed, and hovered over Joe with unknown intent. His hand found Joe's curls and his fingers entwined themselves with every strand he could catch in his mess of hair.

He got dangerously closer, exhale tickling Joe's skin like a feather. He pulled away suddenly, blush abundant on his cheeks. "Is... is this okay?" His voice shook.

Joe laughed, tugging the lupin closer by the collar of his shirt, kissing his more feverishly now, more needy than ever. "It will always be okay, Trevor." He locked his legs around Trevor's broad hips, trapping the boy close to him.

Trevor's face once again hid inside of the crook of Joe's neck, allowing his rough lupin tongue to skim over the sweet spot of Joe's neck, right under his jaw. Joe made shameful noises, alerting the lupin to the sensitivity of that area. Trevor sucked and nibbled at every clean inch of skin under his jaw until Joe was shaking and whining with the extreme need to be touched.

Trevor aggressively gripped Joe's long hair in a ponytail, tugging back his head to expose his neck even further. Joe's breathing shook and stifled every time Trevor skimmed his calloused digits over the soft skin of his collar bone. Trevor's cock pressed against his zipper as he thought of his next means of action.

He smiled as he opened his mouth and licked his way up the entirety of Joe's neck, from the middle of his collarbones to the tip of his chin. Joe grunted, hands gripping and groping at the man in front of him.

"Do something," Joe whimpered, dazed from pleasure. "Please."

He chuckled coldly. He complied though, riding up Joe's shirt until it was up to his neck. Goosebumps prickled up from every inch of his chest, and his dark happy-trail led a way down to his prominent bulge.

"Hold on a moment." Trevor said sternly. Joe didn't move an inch from his submissive stance, not even lifting his head as the other boy left the bed and dug through the closet next to them. How Trevor knew what was in the closet, Joe would never know, but he quickly re-emerged with a couple of belts in his hands. "Stay still for me, pup."

Joe's shy whimpers got louder as Trevor began undressing his shirt from him. He shushed him softly, while asking repeatedly if it was okay to do one thing or to do something else, making sure everything felt comfortable and alright. Joe nodded, comfortable with the consent he was giving the lupin. Eventually, it ended with Joe's hands being firmly tied and buckled on to the headboard behind him. Trevor inspected the bonds once more, making sure it wasn't too tight and didn't hurt the frail boy in his control.

His cock had begun to hurt. He wasn't like, _massive_ down there, but it still hurt when it pressed onto his metal zipper for so long. He began unzipping himself, keeping a watchful eye on Joe's expression. Joe smiled, taking deep breathes as he parted his legs to reveal himself. He was also still trapped inside of his jeans, but the faint outline of his bulge was still very well there.

He felt so naked, even though all that he had taken off was his pants. His boxer's pitched a tent that stood out proudly from his pelvis, and he had to use all of his willpower not to cover himself from Joe's prying eyes.

Joe was supposed to be submissive, but his eyes felt so dominant that Trevor felt like maybe he was serving Joe, not the other way around. He stripped himself of his shirt, tossing it down casually as he climbed back on to the small bed.

With one hand, he began to teasingly poke and prod at the thick bulge within Joe's jeans. His weak whines had come back, and Trevor's hand couldn't help but wrap around his own cock as it twitched. His tail wagged softly as he stroked himself through the fabric, feeling it rub against his swollen flesh. He fumbled as he quickly unzipped Joe as well, wasting no time in freeing him. He sprung out, fully erect, with a gasp.

A small drop of pre-cum already decorated his tip like a small diamond, so rare and exquisite. Trevor's lips wrapped around his tip, sucking it away greedily. Joe rolled his head back as the pro swirled his tongue around the tip over and over until he became numb to the sensation, only feeling pleasure.

It stopped with a soft pop as Trevor pulled himself away. He looked up at Joe calmly, panting in air through his parted mouth.

"Do you have any lube?" Trevor asked with a slight smile.

Joe breathe caught in his throat. One of the most important thing needed for sex, and he didn't own any. To be fair, he was a virgin, but it didn't change the fact that he lacked the tools his partner needed. Then, it struck him.

He had multiple, _super gay_ boyfriends. He was sure they had lube.

"Go ask the others, maybe. I don't have any."

Trevor laughed loudly, chest shaking as he smiled widely. "You're kidding, right? I don't even know if it's okay to be doing this, and you want to ask them?"

A knock seemed to echo through the room as time slowed down. Joe's hands tugged harshly on the leather belts secured around them, but for nothing. He was stuck. He tucked his legs forwards into his belly, trying to hide his erection from anyone's view.

"Hey gu-" A voice said. James walked in with a white coffee mug, and the aromas of vanilla coffee drifted into the musty smelling room. "Oh." His eyes seemed to physically pop out of his skull as he stumbled backwards.

"I-I swear to god it's not what it looks like. I didn't mean to-" Joe sputtered out.

"Hey, hey." James spoke calmly, catching his breathe. He took a large swig of coffee. "It's just kinda early for this shit, y'know?"

"Wait," Joe spoke. Trevor sat on the edge of the bed, covering his own erection from Jame's sleepy eyes. "You don't care that... I'm with another man?"

James chuckled, mid-sip. "Firstly, as long as you're okay with it, I don't give a shit. As long as you're happy, I don't _care_." He paused jutting a finger at the lupin as his ears flattened against his head. "That doesn't mean you can hurt him. I swear to god, if you do anything-"

"James," Trevor interrupted. He shook his head, his face burning red. "I would never hurt him. I won't."

"Good." James chuckled. "Do you want some coffee after you're done or anything? Aleks just brewed a pot."

"I-I think we're good." Joe uttered. James shrugged and began turning around before Joe got his attention once again. "Also, um... Can you get us some... lube?"

"Sure. Also, next time, put a sock on the doorknob." James said. He closed the door behind him, but came back a moment later with a pocket-sized bottle of lube. "Be safe, boys."

\---------------

"Wake up, you sluts." Aleks said, slamming a pillow onto the sleeping pups. "It's like already seven. James cooked up some dinner."

The moment Joe's eyes fluttered open, the smell hit him like a brick to the face. Asparagus. He absolutely despised that vegetable; it tasted odd and made his pee smell weird. It was, in its entirety, a strange experience to eat.

Underneath that smell, was only something a monster could pick up on- human meat. A lot of it. It tingled his nose in a way most things didn't, and after his first time trying it, he couldn't get enough. He sniffed the lingering scent for a moment before removing the covers from himself.

He had only done it twice now, but sleeping with the lupin started not phasing him. It seemed just as familiar as sleeping in James' arms, just as warm, just as safe. It was as if there was no difference where he slept anymore. Especially now that James was okay with this- whatever _this_ was. Their trio had become a yield sign over night, and it was a little scary to be honest.

Trevor planted a sleepy kiss on Joe, interrupting his thoughts.

"C'mon, Joey." Trevor whispered affectionately. he grunted as he balanced himself on his arm, shifting the bed. "You need some food in you."

"I could say the same for you." Joe muttered. They climbed out of bed together, fumbling with the thick comforter and blankets. A cold breeze whisked past his skin, and his face flushed in embarrassment. He was still butt-naked.

He stumbled out of bed, grabbing the closest pair of pants and dragging it over his nude skin. It fit loosely, dangling under his hip bones.

Trevor laughed, and when Joe looked, he had apparently been smart enough to put on clean boxers before going to bed. "Those are my pants, you know."

"Oh." Joe blanked. He began to try and unbutton before Trevor stood from the bed and stopped him.

"It's okay. They're kind of cute on you." His hands twirled and played with his long locks before he pulled him closer by the waist. He kissed his cheek slowly, taking his time and enjoying the smell of the hellhound. "You're so small, Joe."

He chuckled, embarrassed, as he slipped out of the grasp and tugged on his own shirt. He pressed the back of his hands to his cheeks, feeling the hot blood in his face. Trevor watched him intently, but his eyes said something other than _'Let's bang again!'_. It felt loving. Safe.

Sex between two wolf-like species like lupins never seemed to be something romantic; they were just hormones, of course. Despite this, it felt like Trevor and him had more of a connection that just... _hormones._

They had known each other for two days, but the time they had spent together had been strangely passionate. Sadly, passion included anger, fear, and aggression, but... Joe understood those feelings. He was the human embodiment of those emotions. He understood why Trevor had felt that way.

Now that he looked at him, the butterflies in his stomach hurt a lot more than the healing cuts on his neck. He didn't care what Trevor had done or what he will do, Joe _really_ liked him. Joe _trusted_ the lupin.


	13. The Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just some short fluff and foreshadowing. Aleks is really afraid of thunder storms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just jotted this down really quick. I feel like I need more relationship development, so bare with me.

 

 

  
**Storm By: Jaide** **Lynne**

**It is days like this that I wish for a thunder storm,**

**because maybe the crashing thunder and blinding lightning will drown out the storm brewing in my head.**

 

\------------------------------

It took a month for them to get a clear-cut schedule.

On Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and every other Sunday, Joe would sleep inbetween James and Aleks in their luxurious king bed.

On Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and every _other_ other Sunday, Joe would be nestled close next to Trevor.

To say the least, this schedule proved to be troublesome.

\------------------------------

 

Thunder crackled and shook the very foundation of the cannibals' household. Rain pounded against every bare inch of glass on every window, and the noises created a strange symphony of fear for Aleks.

Aleks had always been afraid of the thunder; he had no logical reason for it, but ever since he was a young child, storms shook his very being. He dreaded the weather forecast during the rainy months, but he wasn't mother nature, thus nothing could be done about the issue.

The calendar eventually turned to April; one of the worst months for weather. It started slowly, small showers cascading down gutters and off of roofs, but eventually the storms got too much for him.

This particular month though, was an important month of work for the company James worked with. He wasn't at home often, and even though the boys still saw him, it was only in the later hours of the night when the storms had subsided.

This left Joe with an odd predicament.

One Tuesday, as usual, James stayed at work to get some extra work done. The mother of all storms rampaged that night- nearly a hurricane- in the small town of Denver. Trevor had gone to bed early, tired from doing nothing in particular. This left only two people; Joe and Aleks.

Naturally, as if it was in their blood, the two remaining boys grabbed an arm-full of blankets and pillows and constructed a pillow fort once hearing the alarms their phones sent off about the tornado warning. Normally James would help, he would be there for this, and it made Joe nervous for once that he wasn't.

They snuck under the tent of blankets they created, enchanted by the light breaking through from the television and the sweet smell of linen in their small hide-out. Aleks gripped a blanket with such force strong enough to tear through it; small signs of his cannibal-side coming out. Tiny claws emerged when the soft rain first started, but Joe began shushing his anxiety away.

"It's okay, Aleks." He petted the cannibal's head gently like a kitten, and Aleks placed his head on Joe's thigh. Joe grabbed a remote, quickly flicking the channels until he found something calming- Comedy Central. It made Aleks giggle and usually dulled the sounds of thunder out from disturbing him.

They watched it for a while before Aleks was lulled to sleep by Joe's humming and soft petting. He never snored, but his breathing had slowed down drastically in a way that alerted Joe that he was most definitely asleep.

Joe's ears perked up. He thought for a moment it was another quiet crackle of thunder, but once it repeated enough times, he realized it was footsteps. The footsteps of a lupin that had been alone in bed on his 'night'.

Joe looked up, and saw the silhouette of his lover in the view of the television. Aleks stirred, but made no attempt to wake up.

"Yeah, sweetheart? What's wrong?" Joe whispered to the large figure. He didn't move from his spot, but he could see the lupin shift back and forth on his feet nervously.

"I... I know it's stormy out, but..." Trevor paused. He looked at the window next to them; the rain was still pounding as hard as ever on the thick glass. "...but I kind of want to cuddle right now."

Joe paused, looking around for a moment. Aleks was still laying on his right thigh, and he didn't want to move the sleeping boy or anything. His left side was open, and he moved an extra pillow onto his left thigh, and fluffed the cotton inside before ushering the other boy over.

"Is it okay? You're okay with me... _interrupting?_ "

"You're not interrupting anything." Joe said calmly. He ushered the boy over again. "Come on."

Trevor complied and crawled into the pillow fort, snuggling into Joe's lap. Both heads were now on his thighs, and even though it kind of constricted the blood-flow to his legs, it was still extremely cute and he didn't mind.

"I _really_ like you, Joe." Trevor said. Joe dual-petted the two boys, taking his time to run is palms over Trevor's fluffy ears.

"I like you too, honey." Joe whispered.

"I like you, Joe." Aleks muttered with closed eyes.

Joe chuckled, happily. "I like both of you. A lot."

Little did the two sleeping men know that the news was broadcasting another story about a another murdered person like them. Joe wouldn't wake them up. He wanted them to still think the world would protect them, or at the very least, he would.


	14. Athazagoraphobia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Joe has never been more confused.  
> Trevor has never felt so neglected.  
> James' fucking back hurts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a long one! This might be the longest one I've written so far, actually. Enjoy.  
> (Warning: Lots of James complaining and everyone being confused and mad.)
> 
> Song for this chapter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FF6fjVpyqGw
> 
> Sorry if this is shit.

**Hate Love By: Echoes Of A Mind**  
**I hate Love**  
**and let's be honest**  
**I don't think**  
**that I'm ever gonna Love it...**  
\-----------------

The tension in the house never seemed to melt away. It was a constant battle, and had begun driving anyone residing inside insane.

Trevor and James seemed to always be at each others' throats, and it made Joe horribly uncomfortable to watch. Not only that, but with the expanding household, neighbors had become... _suspicious._

They went from ordering one pizza to about three pizzas on Fridays, and every delivery person looked at them oddly when only two men came to the door to receive the food. Joe and Trevor usually ended up scuttling into the next room when the doorbell rang. This was a necessary thing, though. Their relationship itself would not only be shunned, but the fact that they were specifically dating a hellhound and a lupin would be a death sentence from society. A stamped form. _Final._

The last thing Joe ever wanted was to get Aleks and James in trouble. It worried him constantly, to the point where he would shake at every bump in the night, thinking someone was coming for them. He never knew if it was just a tree branch or the S.W.A.T. team. He didn't want to know.

To say the least, delivery services were banned from the household by James. Nobody could know what was going on, and the best way to mask it was to keep anyone from knowing they existed; the simple large house down the street had to be invisible to everyone.

The good thing about this is that home-cooked meal became more abundant. The gorgeous meals that Aleks and James knew hoe to prepare graced the dinner table every night, and it felt like the pups were in a classy hotel, not someone's home.

One night, Aleks began to prepare dinner as usual. He got out all of his ingredients; pepper, salt, lemon juice, and many herbs that Joe had no idea existed. Everyone knew when Aleks opened the freezer from the giant puff of chilly air, and Trevor's tail wagged impatiently as he waited for the meal.

Aleks gave out a nervous laugh. "Um... James?"

"Yeah, babe?" James muttered, full attention on the television.

"We're out." Aleks said. The remote in James' hand clattered on the tiled floors, and he instantly stood up, heaving a sigh out.

"Did I miscalculate again?" James laughed. He slipped some shoes on his feet leisurely.

"Well, we do have another attendee here." Aleks glared at Trevor jokingly before shutting the metal door. "Math is hard anyways."

"This is serious, you asshole!" James threw his hand out towards the empty freezer, before bringing down his hand and loudly slapping his thigh. "C'mon, guys." He ushered the living room closet filled with various shoes with varying amounts of dirt and shit on them.

"Are we... hunting tonight?" Trevor whispered shyly. He stood from the couch, but didn't make an effort to walk over yet.

"We'll have to." James uttered lowly. It sounded cold, but no one could really tell who it was directed towards.

"I'm not doing this shit. I have a show on in like..." Aleks whined, glancing at the sleek watch on his wrist. "Like ten minutes. I'll hold down the fort."

"Are you sure?" James said. He walked over swiftly and wrapped his arms around the other cannibal with ease. "I'll miss you, you know."

"I'll be okay." Aleks whispered to him. He brushed his lips against James, cherishing the sweet taste on his partner's lips. "I love you."

"I love you too." James said. By the time he turned around, the two pups were already prepared to go.

Joe held the white tarp in his hands like he had done so many times before, but an aura of nervousness emitted off of him, and this did not go unnoticed.

James held Aleks' hand for a moment longer, before he let the pale fingers slip out of his grasp, and he turned around without another word. Slowly, Aleks made his down the hall and into the bathroom.

James walked over to the boys, and began giving information and instructions; he had planned this trip ahead of time luckily, but it seems like they'd have to be using it a lot quicker than planned.

He dug into his pockets, finding fresh gum, _chewed_ gum, some crumpled paper, and a worn pen. James began doodling, making odd shapes and explaining in detail what everything meant and why it was that way. He glanced up from the make-shift plans to look at Joe eagerly, awaiting criticisms and comments. His eyes were met with- well, nothing at all. Joe's mind was somewhere else completely.

James grabbed the hellhound's balled-up fists with so little pressure that it took Joe a moment to snap out of the trance.

"Are you alright?" James chuckled. "What are you thinking about?"

Joe swallowed down the forming knot in his throat. When he opened his mouth, it took a moment for his voice to actually sneak out of his throat. "Is Aleks going to be... okay?"

"What do you mean?" James' smile dropped, and he tucked the doodles back into his jeans.

"Well..." Joe's feet shuffled back and forth on the linoleum. "That goodbye... Was kind of _dramatic_ , y'know?"

James laughter erupted out of him. His chest shook with his merciless giggles, and he sputtered out words for a moment before finding his ground again. "Are you jealous or something?"

Joe blinked, and when his eyes opened again, he was an inch from James' peering stare.

"No!" Joe hissed. He balled up both his fists and shot them into the middle of James' chest without even thinking, getting an 'ow' out of the larger man. When he realized what he had done, he dug his hands down as deep as they could go into his jacket pockets. "I just... Is there something we should know?"

Trevor glanced between the two awkwardly, continuously peering over to the bathroom, waiting for Aleks, the only adult, to clear this up.

James recovered from the hit for a moment, before his ears actually heard the question. James' eyes dropped to the floor, burrowing into the ground. "We always get nervous about going out." He began turning towards the door, pulling his keys off of the organized key-rack. "I think it's a lot worse... When y'know... We're split up."

"That didn't really answer my question." Joe grumbled.

"There's a lot of questions you have that will never be answered." James spouted out. He paused, shrugging. "You should be more worried about yourself on a hunt. Aleks obsession with his soap opera won't hurt him."

Joe nodded, even though James was already out of the door and starting the car. He wiped his sweaty palms on his pants, and followed suit. Everytime he was scared or doubted himself, it seemed like the lupin's hand was always in his, giving soft, comforting squeezes.

Trevor slipped off his beanie, and ruffled his short hair. It was still horribly hot outside, despite the moon being the only thing glowing down on the cement. He pulled the worn beanie over Joe's messy hair; it was his beanie, after all.

They climbed into the truck, nestling into the back seat together. Trevor's chin rested on Joe's shoulder for a moment, and Joe was tempted to just lean against him and go to sleep for a while before he opened his mouth.

"You'll be okay. I promise." He whispered so low that James couldn't hear. Up in the front of the car, James sang to songs on the radio like an opera star, unaware of anything happening. Trevor's hands snaked it's way into his, and the loud music droned out the soft kissing noises the boys made.  
  
The car eventually halted to a immediate stop, and a sharp pair of teeth accidentally chomped on Trevor's tongue. Joe pulled away immediately, afraid he had messed up again, but Trevor's cheeks glowed with embarrassment. They didn't say a word to each other, but they laughed so loudly that it confused the unknowing James.

"Grab the tarp, you weirdos." James hissed lovingly. He opened the car door and jumped out into the murky mud of a swamp, feeling the warm water soak into his shoes. He would have to throw them away later, and frankly, it was a waste of money. He would have to talk to Aleks later about water-proof clothing.

The other boys followed suit, walking faster to keep up with the speedy walk of James. The sloshing of water and mud sickened Joe; he lived in a suburban area most of his life, and it smelled like actual shit in there. He had begun hating nature the minute they got out of the car, especially swamps.

Trevor stifled a laugh as he thought. "Stay out of my swamp!" He giggled out, chest shaking.

"Shut the fuck up." James whispered. He sounded cold, but a warm smile still painted his face. "There are campers over on the camp-site over there. Be quiet. You know the plan."

Joe nodded to James' turned back, shifting and growing out his long claws. He climbed his way up a dead tree, scratching deep cuts into rotting bark. Branches cracked underneath his weight, but he stuck his footing and balanced on the very edge of a stronger branch.

From the view, he could see the moon loom over the happy campers. Dozens of glass bottles and metal cans were scattered on the ground. This would be easier considering they were drunk, but would the meat taste different? Alcoholic blood sounded kind of cool, he thought.

Trevor didn't shift into his form, but instead, pulled out the beer in his pocket. He shook his head, thinking of how absolutely stupid this idea was, and popped the cap of the bottle. It fizzed with white foam, but he resisted drinking it. He was _really_ underage. James would probably get mad at him; he never specifically said he could actually drink it.

He gazed at the group of people a few yards away. A faded baseball cap he took from the truck concealed his ears, even though nothing could be done about his tail. Hopefully none of them would notice the fluffy gray tail behind his back. He hid in a bush near by, watching their movements and how they acted with each other. There were about ten of them, all most likely college kids. 'What do drunk people do in the movies?' He thought. He paused for a moment, swallowing down the lump in his throat.

He stumbled out of the bush quietly, attempting not to get anyone's attention. He tried to walk drunkenly, but from James' perspective across the camp-site, it looked like he was a homeless man limping. The cannibal face-palmed and silently groaned at the attempt of acting, but made no action to stop the disaster.

Trevor pressed the bottle to his mouth, and swung it back, but resisted the cold liquid hitting his lips. He could barely taste it, but he could already tell he hated it. The college kids gazed at him for a brief moment in silence, before a particularly drunk one tripped forwards, cracking his head on a log near the fire. A girl shrieked, but no one else seemed to react. These guys were hammered.

Trevor stepped around the group, cautious not to catch to many suspicious glances. His hands were shaking so bad that he could barely unzip the zippers on their backpacks. Each one, down the row, he silently checked every bag while the group fucked with the unconcious dude.

No knives or guns were present- or at least, what was in their bags. He surveyed them once again. Nothing was in their pockets. This group was an easy catch, despite the size.

He signalled Joe and James with a thumbs up in the sky, and before he could put his arm back down, Joe had his teeth dug deep inside of a girl's neck. Her blood did in fact have a certain alcoholic bitterness to it, and Joe lapped up her iron as her shrieks echoed inbetween the trees.

James took a more cautious approach, sensitive of his damaged back, and loomed around the group, wary of runners. An older one fell down in front of him- looked like a senior in college- and he stomped his muddy boots down as hard as possible on the back of his skull, cracking his skull open. Blood pooled out of his mouth and soaked into the dry dirt around it. He caught a couple others, and killed them all quickly as if to end their pain soon.

A shiver went up Trevor's spine. He hated this part, and despite how many times Joe told him it was okay, he despised his sharper teeth and claws. The smell of fresh blood wafted into his nose, and he allowed his instincts to take control. A girl rushed past him without James noticing, but he caught her by her stomach with his claws. She coughed, and painful tears streamed down her face. Her intestines were being severed in Trevor's hands.

She collapsed as he body went into shock, and Trevor threw her down on the ground. He slit her throat in her sleep, making sure she wouldn't wake up later on a cutting board and freak out. It was easier to just prevent that.

"God dammit!" James yelled. Trevor whipped around and James was hunched over, the collar of his t-shirt being nearly ripped off by a large dude. He was tugged up, and held in the air briefly before being thrown down. A scream resounded throughout the woods, alerting birds that flew away and squawked at the sudden noise. James' back had popped against the ground, and his cannibal appearance melted away back into his softer human form. The student stumbled back in shock, and a clawed hand went through his spine like a knife through butter. He stumbled back onto Joe, paralyzed, in shock, and bleeding out.

The wind settled, bringing upon a silence that was quickly split with James' shrill scream.

"Shit!" Joe spat out. He stumbled forwards, taking James' contorted face in his bloody palms. "Oh my god, are you okay, James? _James_?"

James groaned roughly, slowly relaxing his tensed back muscles. His body slowly accepted the extreme pain, giving out endorphins that coursed through his veins like wildfire. He breathed heavily, and his lungs felt heavy in the thick air.

"Answer me!" Joe cried. "I can call Aleks, I-I can get you to a hospital-"

"It's okay, Joe." He spoke calmly. His heart pounded against every rib in his chest with enough force that it could've broken them out, but somehow, he stayed strong. He sat up slowly, and no one could deny the popping sounded painful. No one could help as he screamed in pain once again.

"Come on, you got this." Joe uttered sweetly. He held out his hand, and James took it, being led off the dirt with a tug. A few groans later, and he was standing on his own. James began limping back to the car, feeling the nerves in his body piece back together slowly.

"Are you alright...?" Trevor asked nervously. James glared at him harshly with cold eyes, and continued past him to the car, ushered by Joe.

"We'll take care of everything, don't worry." Joe said. He had a bloody hand on James' back, making sure the man didn't fall. He helped into the car, getting him comfy and turning on the AC, before grabbing the tarp. He sighed, exhausted from the hunt, but began dragging over multiple bodies to the unravelled tarp anyways.

Trevor kneeled down reluctantly, dragging the bodies Joe brought over into the tarp. "Is he... _Mad_ at me?" He whispered to Joe as he dropped off the last corpse.

Joe shrugged for a moment in thought. "I'm not sure. I can ask him if you'd like, or-"

"Hey, no. I'll ask. Don't worry about it." Trevor said. He waved him off, and finished the last preparations of the tarp before dragging it up the ramp on the bed of the truck. He dropped it down with a huff, beginning to feel the shy butterflies in his stomach. He hated trying to talk to James.

He opened the door, and instantly something smacked against his forehead. He recovered from his daze and looked to the ground to see a half-empty soda can spilling sugary liquids into the soles of his shoes.

He quickly got in to avoid ruining his shoes anymore, finding James sitting next to him in the back seat of the small truck.

"Why is he back here?" Trevor groaned.

"There's better air conditioning back there, plus I figure he has more leg room." Joe muttered. He began driving, humming a sweet tune that didn't really match the atmosphere of the car.

"So..." Trevor began, sharpness behind his tone. "Why did you throw that at me?"

"Because you're a fucking asshole." James muttered to him. He was on his phone, paying no attention to what anyone was saying. Trevor snatched it away, earning a punch to the arm. "Give that back!"

Trevor maneuvered around the cannibal's outstretched arms, keeping the device to himself. "Why are you mad at me, James?"

"You are so dense!"

"Maybe I am." Trevor scoffed. "So you need to tell me."

James froze, and relaxed back into his seat. "I can't believe you..." He muttered with crossed arms. "You just left me, you weren't paying attention!"

Trevor was taken back for a moment before tossing the phone into James' lap. "Really? I have to fucking babysit you? I thought you've been in this business a lot longer."

"Guys, come on." Joe whined from the front seat.

"I have a back issue, you _anus_." James jutted a finger into Trevor's chest. "There's a reason I'm on the back line!"

"That's not my fault. I was dealing with something else!"

"This is pointless." Joe stated. "I'll tell Aleks you two won't stop being little shits."

"I thought you _cared_ about me, Joe." James reasoned.

Trevor scoffed, "I thought you were on _my_ side, Joe."

Joe's face went red; frustration, fear, and love mixed together in some kind of sick martini of pain. "I'm not taking that. I won't. You two need to figure shit out."

The two men looked at each other, eyeing the other in a annoyed fashion.

"Joe." Trevor muttered.

Joe turned his head slightly, alerting Trevor that he was listening.

"You know that I'm in love with you, right?"

The car halted to a stop, and anyone who wasn't wearing a seat belt would have been seriously hurt. James, who was being safe, cried out in pain again. Joe whipped around in his seat.

"Trevor." Joe deadpanned. "I am in love with both of you, but you can't keep fighting over me like children. I can't _take_ it anymore!" He stepped out of the car, slamming the door and stomping into the house.

The two men sat with wide-eyes inside of the car.

Trevor felt like puking. He was so happy- _Joe loved him back_ \- but he might have just ruined that. The way he halted the car made it somewhat worse. Maybe right then wasn't the best place to tell Joe he loved him for the first time.

Meanwhile, James' face contorted in pain. He thought maybe the seatbelt had popped his back again, but he couldn't tell. His mind was in a state of trying not to feel anything while also really wanting to get away from Trevor.

Trevor sighed, climbing out of the car. He would have to pull the tarp in later, but for now...

"What are you doing?" James groaned. Trevor held open his door, peering in at the cannibal.

"Can you walk?"

"I don't really want to, honestly." James muttered. His seat belt snapped back into its place, and strong arms supported behind his knees and back, picking him up from the seat. Both parties stood silently for a moment, reluctant to meet eyes. "What the fuck are-"

"I'm helping you, just shut up." Trevor said. He trudged into the house, kicking open the door. Aleks and Joe were in the middle of a deep conversation, and were astonished at the sight. It looked like a husband and wife on their honey moon.

Trevor plopped him down on the couch, and walked over to Joe with his hand out. The hellhound understood, and placed the car keys into the palms of the lupin. The lupin who... gave him such confusing feelings. He blushed, and turned away, continuing to converse with Aleks.

He opened the garage and parked the truck into the warm room. He made no haste of unloading the tarp of bodies, bringing them over to a butchering table for Aleks to work on. He only realized now how hungry he truly was. He felt no guilt in taking a few nibbles out of one of the bodies.

Now with his body somewhat fulfilled, where would his mind go? His thoughts began enveloping him, and it hurt. It _really_ did hurt. He was a horrible person, for sure.

He sat on the concrete floor, placing his face in his hands. The tears came slowly, and trickled down his cheeks. He was horribly in love and he didn't know what to do. What was he to James? To Aleks? More importantly, what was he _Joe_? He might as well just pack his bags and go back to the hideout.

The door opened quietly, slowly creaking as it parted more and more. A brown eye peered in, and seeing no aggression, Joe stepped into the garage. He still had trickles of blood on his fingers and face, but his sweet face never failed to charm Trevor.

"I'm sorry." Joe whispered. He sat down close to Trevor, close enough to feel their knees touching and hear their hearts thump in unison. "I... I _really_ love you Trevor."

Trevor chuckled through his tears, wrapping his arms around the willing hellhound. "You can't comprehend how much I love you, Joe."

They kissed under the light of a garage light, seemingly not realizing how beautiful the stars outside were tonight. They prefered the stars in each others' eyes.


	15. Scopophobia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> James and Trevor go on a much needed date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WE'RE ALMOST THERE MY DUDES  
> I'd say a few more chapters and we'll reach the end of this shit. Isn't that great? I'm sad to let it go.
> 
> There might be a sequel, but I'm not sure. Don't take my word on it.

**Floral & Fading By: Pierce The Veil**  
**Our lights knocked out, turned upside down**  
**And I'm just a stupid motherfucker**  
**Can't figure it out**  
**I want devil horns**  
**I wanna breathe in your rush**  
**I wanna leap when you want me to fly**  
**But darlin' I don't mean to beg**  
**But these thorns on the stem are nearly tearing up my skin**  
\------------------------

  
"So it's settled, then. You two are going to go somewhere nice and talk about your damn issues." Joe said.

The all sat on the large king bed of the cannibals, in a circle reminiscent of a girl's sleepover. They had all just eaten breakfast, which consisted of bacon, eggs, and Trevor and James fighting again. Joe could still see the flashes of forks and knives flying in the very back of his eyes, and he'd probably see it in his nightmares for a while.

"I don't want to go on a fucking date with this asshole!" Trevor yelled. He slammed his fists on the mattress, but the memory foam took his attack.

"It's only a date if you make it." Aleks laughed. He sipped on his coffee, rubbing the back of a fuming James. "We're all under the same roof, and me and Joe just figured you guys haven't had enough time to... get used to each other."

"He's a bastard." James spat. His back was still sore, and he got absolutely no sleep last night. He was no use to this debate.

"Fuck you!" Trevor retorted.

"Everyone shut up!" Aleks almost spilled his hot coffee. "James, just do it for me, please. You're killing me."

James' pressed his lips together and furrowed his brows in frustration. The love of his life needed this, and he was pussing out. What was he even afraid of? Some little lupin?

He sighed. "Okay. Fine."

Trevor groaned, falling back on to the pillows behind him.

"Trevor..." Joe laughed. "You gotta do it for me too!" The lupin rolled over, reluctant to agree to anything that he didn't want to do. His boyfriend grabbed his shoulder, turning him back to the ongoing conversation. "Please, Trevor."

"Alright." Trevor whined. Sometimes he questioned staying in this house. He adored them, but... It was difficult at times.

"Thank you, sweetie." Joe whispered, leaning over to give him a peck on the forehead. "Me and Aleks are gonna have our own movie night together." He winked at the cannibal, causing red to splash his pale cheeks.

James began shifting off the bed, catching the attention of all the others. "Well," He shrugged, baffled. "I'll pick you up at six, Trevor."

\------------------------

What was he even supposed to wear? He felt like Cinderella getting ready for the fucking ball, but in reality, he was just going to be hanging out with an asshole for a couple hours.  
  
He threw different shirts left and right, causing a clutter in his room. To be fair, they hadn't bought him much of a new wardrobe yet. They gave him some new shirts and stuff, but that's where it ends. All he had pants-wise was worn jeans and various pairs of old basketball shorts. He threw on the nicest jeans he had, and tucked in his plaid shirt in an attempt to look more formal. He still looked like a complete goof.

"I think you look gorgeous!" Joe cooed as he shuffled through the closet. He came back with a fist-full of ties of varying colors and shapes. He picked out a plain blue one that matched his shirt, and began to loop it around his lover's neck.

"Aren't you nervous?" Trevor asked. Asking someone else seemed to deflect his own panic attack.

Joe laughed, finishing a sleek knot on the tie. "Why would I be nervous? It's you going on a date."

"Don't call it that."

"Why? It kinda is." Joe shook his head, smiling. He brushed a hand through the lupin's hair, smoothing it down. "If you like him or something, I don't care."

Trevor scoffed, astonished. "Why would I like that asshole?"

"I'm not stupid. I see the way you look at him."

"With resentment?"

"Kind of like you want to hate him, but _can't._ "

\------------------------

The car started with a rumble, soothing the butterflies in Trevor's stomach. He could see the blinds from the house window shift, and Joe peer outside at him. Once their eyes caught each other, they waved shyly, like a mother dropping of her son on the first day of school.

"So where do you want to go?" James asked, breaking the ice.

The car was silent for a moment as the butterflies woke up again, crawling inside his stomach. He felt sick. "You... You didn't plan ahead? No reservations or anything fancy?"

"Hey, this came pretty suddenly to both of us." James defended. "Just say something so I know where to go."

"Casa Bonita?" Trevor laughed.

"I've told you how bad that place was, dude."

"I've never been there myself, so who knows? Maybe you're just a stuck-up ass." Trevor chuckled.

James bit his tongue back. The last thing he wanted to do was ruin this. "We're not doing that." Suddenly the car's interior lit up with colors that caught both of their attention. A spinning wheel lit up the night, next to tents and other rides that seemed to have their own life.

Trevor groaned as James' dimples began to show. He didn't bother arguing as James pulled into the luminous area. Through the windows of the car, he could hear the droning circus music and see the glowing 'Denver Circus' sign. The lights reflected off of the dark irises of the cannibal, giving him a bewildered appearance. He just looked so... amazed. It sent goosebumps up his arms and his tail involuntarily wagged at the sight.

"These guys are only around for a week every year. Me and Aleks came here on our second date, actually." He chuckled, rattling off little things they did there during that time. Mentions of cotton candy and games in stalls floated around in the air as they walked through the gates. The paid admission quickly and hurried in; James was eager to relive his memories.

"Second date, huh? What happened on the first date?" Trevor laughed. He didn't expect James to actually take so long with his response, but he seemed to be digging through his memory.

"The first one wasn't too eventful. He kissed me in the parking lot of an aquarium." James explained.

"An aquarium? When did he find out...?" Trevor trailed off. James seemed to understand, biting his lip. The area they were in was tame, nearly unpopulated, so he felt like it was okay to ask. He wasn't so sure about that though when James looked at him like that.

"Well..." James interjected, rubbing his hands together nervously. "It happened about six years ago."

\------------------------

  
_"James!" Aleks pleaded, slamming his clammy, shaky fists on the door. "Please, please open the door. Please."_

_His stomach felt like a vat of acid, burning and eating away at his insides. It was devastating; he felt like vomiting and passing out and just giving up. And that was his plan, or it was..._

_Now there was this asshole at his door. A beautiful jerk who did not deserve to see him like this. He couldn't help but let out a miserable groan, causing more spastic slamming on the wood of the door. It wasn't long before he could hear the pure impact of his track team legs seemingly kicking down the very walls of his apartment._

_"Just... Go home..." James mumbled out. The sudden feeling of liquid began trickling inside of him, and he began coughing and sputtering up the fluids in his organs. In the darkness of his room, he had no vision to what it was or why it was there._

_"Shut up!" It sounded like he was crying now, and James' shoulders hunched in guilt. He never wanted to make Aleks upset, but it was just a natural talent of his. "I'm going to break my fucking foot doing this, but it seems like I have to!"_

_Before he could roll out of bed to stop him, Aleks reared back his legs and cracked the door in half. He stood, a black silhouette in front of the light of the afternoon, panting. The bags under his eyes were puffy and red with tears._

_James swallowed down a nervous lump in his throat, wiping away at the liquid cooling on his lips. "Aleks..."_

_"Oh my god, James." Aleks bawled, scrambling over to James' bedside. "James, that's fucking blood. That's blood, James!"_

_James' eyes widened briefly in surprise, but he had no energy to apologize or explain. A cool hand brushed over his cheeks, wiping away more of the blood on his skin. The very scent of Aleks made his fragile heart catch its own beat, and he grabbed his hand with such need that Aleks jumped._

_He smelled... Like food. He smelled gorgeous, and luscious, and he smelled like everything he had ever loved in his life. He smelled like Aleks._

_He opened his dry lips and felt his teeth elongate on their own. His instincts rarely took over, but at this point, his body would do anything to survive, even if the pilot had abandoned ship._

_"Oh..." Aleks croaked, voice shaky and hoarse. The room was quiet for a few minutes as Aleks let James sink his teeth into the delicate skin of his thumb. "Oh, babe... You're a cannibal..."_

_The minute Aleks' blood trickled onto James' tongue, he spit it out, sitting up straight in bed. He wiped furiously at his mouth and tongue, sputtering out curses and gagging. After a moment, the taste evaporated away, and he was left with the lingering stare of the man next to him._

_He struggled for a moment to speak, not only still weak from extreme hunger, but weak from just looking at him. "Don't report me. I'm sorry, I won't do that-"_

_"You are so dull sometimes." Aleks laughed. He sniffled away his tears, rubbing his eyes to a brighter shade of red. "May I ask what I tasted like?"_

_James sat astonished for a moment, before contemplating his words. "You tasted fucking dirt and ash."_

_"That's what I'd expect," Aleks shrugged, smug grin on his face. "Considering I'm a cannibal too."_

\------------------------

  
"And then we fucked, like hardcore." James joked.  
  
Trevor stared dreamily at him, imagining the scene repeatedly in his head before speaking. "When was this in your relationship?"

"After the third date. He had told me he loved me, and then I dissapeared for a while. I didn't want to deal with the anxiety of dating a human, so I just kind of let myself dissolve away. Worst decision of my life." James confided, hands deep inside the pockets of his jacket.

Trevor stared, wide-eyed. "Why... Why didn't you just break up with him?"

"Because sadly, _I_ loved him too."

\------------------------

[X](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_tvACHpdlg)

  
"So what do you want to do next?" James offered, chewing a mouth of cotton candy liberally.

Trevor shifted on his feet nervously. This whole thing had been fun, yet... He felt so observed it was unnerving to say the least.

James seemed to take note of this, and swallowed down the sugary mass in his mouth. "One more ride, and I'll take you home. I promise."

"A quick ride, preferably." Trevor grumbled. His ears twitched to a young couple as he heard some of their remarks, and he quickly flattened them as if to block out their words. It really shouldn't have, but it shook him. It shook him worse than a lot of things could.

"I know." James stated calmly.

Eventually, they had finally walked enough to get to the towering ferris wheel. It glowed and shimmered in the colorful lights, and in the view of the night, it looked as if it overpowered the moon. The line was long, as expected, and the wait was infinite. James shook, anxious sweat forming on his face, but Trevor took this chance to loop his arm around James' and hold the cannibal's clammy hand.

A crowd of people left the ride, and soon the line began trickling onto the attraction. By the time they were near the front, James was digging his bitten fingernails into Trevor's hand out of desperate fear.

"I feel like you really shouldn't be afraid of heights." Trevor joshed. He elbowed James softly, smiling, and it seemed to calm his nerves for a moment.

A few murmurs echoed behind him.

'That poor man.'  
'Is he going to eat him or something?'  
'That will never work.'

He hung his head down shamefully and loosened the grip on James' hand. His arm hung limply, but James still gripped his sweaty palms in a death grip. It kept him grounded in a moment that would otherwise have broken him. The murmurs continued, growing in volume the more he stood there to receive them.

His hand finally dropped down and slapped against his thigh. It took him by surprise, and it got him to raise his head and peer at the other man. James was turned around, standing his ground to a decently sized line of people.

"You people are fucking vicious." James raged, pointing fingers at random people that eyed him oddly. "He did nothing wrong to you!"

"Yeah, except live." A man piped in. There was a smug tone to his voice that aggravated James to no end, but instead of killing him on the spot, he took a deep breathe.

"He looks kinda chubby!" A girl quipped, smiling. "How many people has he eaten so far?"

A low rumble began building in Trevor's throat, and James made note of it, taking hold of the lupin's shaking hands again. His tail whipped back and forth fiercely, taking on a mind of its own.

"You don't know shit about him. Go fuck yourself." James huffed. He could hear the shifting of feet in front of him, and he presumed that the line moved forward, so he stepped backwards a few feet until he hit a solid object. He whipped around, nearly jumping out of his skin.

"Sir, I'm going to have to ask you two to leave." A younger man said, eyeing their entwined fingers. "You're disturbing guests."

"Disturbing? I can show you disturbing." James declared. An idea passed his mind suddenly, like a gush of wind, and in those few seconds he made the brash decision to go with it. His stomach churned with nerves, a gnarly mixture of acids and bile. He licked the lingering sugar off his lips, and leaned forwards in the warm carnival air.

The intimate touch was met with groans and jeers of people in line, but it wasn't heard by the two men. James had a shaky hand on Trevor's right cheek, pressing him harder into their public kiss. All of Trevor's senses lit up at once; he could hear the droning music, he could taste lips as sweet as sugar, and he could smell the strong scent on James and every inch of his clothing. His eyes were closed, but lights flickered behind the lids; a new fire was born.

His arms linked around James' waist, but then were immediately yanked away with force. He was tugged away from the kiss by both of his arms, and upon opening his eyes, he could see the carnival security team. The entire team. A gun (presumably filled with rubber bullets) was pointed at him with such little care it was almost offensive.

"Did he hurt you in any way?" They questioned James. They threw around a few more statements and questions, before James waved them away, ready to be over with this situation. They were both escorted out, a little more gently now. Trevor could already feel the forming bruises on his arm.

"I'm sorry." James mumbled, rubbing his hands together anxiously. "We never got to go on the ride."

"I'm sorry I made you look stupid." Trevor protested, fixing his unravelling tie.

"They were the only stupid people there." James sighed. He paused, unable to find words for a moment. They stopped in their tracks, a few feet away from their parking spot. The silence lingered in the warm air, thick and suffocating. "You're really beautiful, I just don't want to admit it."

Trevor's face lit up with a flattering hue of red, and he gave off a glow only rivalled by the carnival lights. In James' eyes, there was no real rivalry though. He was flawless in that moment.

"I... I think you're pretty cute too." Trevor stammered, averting his eyes from the gaze.

James placed a hand on his shoulder, signalling him to meet his eyes. "Can I kiss you again?"

" _Yes._ "

It only took them a few months to realize that those days filled with arguments and hatred were only denial; denial that could be fixed by a few bigots in the line of a carnival ride.


	16. Mania

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In Autumn, everything seems to fall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am not the best at angst, so please excuse this mess. This was a genuine attempt. Give me your critiques though, I would love to hear them!

**All Nature Has A Feeling By: John Clare**   
**All nature has a feeling: woods, fields, brooks**   
**Are life eternal: and in silence they**   
**Speak happiness beyond the reach of books;**   
**There's nothing mortal in them; their decay**   
**Is the green life of change; to pass away**   
**And come again in blooms revivified.**   
**Its birth was heaven, eternal it its stay,**   
**And with the sun and moon shall still abide**   
**Beneath their day and night and heaven wide.**

\----------------------------  
[X](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfqLF0N4dUE)

Before anyone could comprehend it, time shifted forwards, and they leaves crinkled under the running feet of the energetic men in the household.

Much to everyone's' surprise, a brand new couple graced their home in the least graceful way possible. Every family night, every time they watched a movie, every time they played video games, James was sitting on the lupin's lap. Even if Trevor couldn't see the screen, he was content in holding James close. With one hand on James' hips, and the other in Joe's hand, everyone was happy about this new life.

"Does it ever like, cut off your circulation?" Aleks asked Trevor one night as his thumbs twirled around on the controller.

"I mean, sometimes, yeah." Trevor yawned, rubbing the protruding spine on James' back. "It's kinda cute though, so it's okay."

James began to roar out his signature laughter before his giggles were interrupted by an oddly loud noise. Aleks folded in on himself instantly, holding his knees close to himself. James' head whipped to the window, but there was no impending thunderstorm. The night was as calm as ever.

"What-"

The noise repeated, louder this time. Joe's sharp ears located the noise, and he pointed to the front door. The boys looked around at each other; Joe shook his head vigorously, James just stared befuddled at the door, and Trevor couldn't feel his legs. Aleks took it upon himself to pry himself away from the couch, despite his shaky knees.

They watched carefully as Aleks opened the door a crack, and slipped himself outside. James shrugged, unpausing the game while the others were unaware and getting ahead of them. Joe chuckled, shouting something, before picking up his controller again, and dropping it again out of shock.

The controller clattered against the linoleum tiles, and the cheerful music continued despite what their ears caught. Joe seemed to catch the scream first, and jumped from the couch, before stopping in his tracks, unsure of what to do.

James mumbled out curses, before storming straight to the door. He could feel the static on the doorknob; the way it made his arm hairs stand up. Without hesitation, he yanked open the door, and his heart stopped.

Nearly seven years in the making, and never had he seen so much blood. Never had he wanted to kill as much as now. He swallowed thickly, taking in the sight.

Aleks' hand was limply covering his stomach, seemingly an attempt to put pressure on a gushing wound. He was leaned up against the wall behind him, unconscious. James waited desperately for a movement- anything to prove he was still alive. He caught the smallest twitch of Aleks' eye, and he sighed a breathe of relief.

It was short-lived though. Before he could help his love, the blade of a knife pinched his Adam's apple.

"Show me your teeth, you fucking cannibal." A man grunted at him. He looked more mature, maybe forty at the youngest. His hair line receded back somewhat, but it was still black in color.

He listened to the request fearfully, and elongated the already sharp canines in his mouth. The man smiled, pulling a device out of his pockets. He pressed a button, and James realized it was a walkie-talkie of sorts.

"It's true. You guys were right." The man smiled. No reply came from the old timey machine, but he put it out of sight.

Joe and Trevor shook behind the door-frame. Joe could see his 'utility belt'; pepper spray, tear gas, and... _Was that a gun?_ He held Trevor's hand, squeezing it tightly.

The man laughed, soaking in the fear the three men emitted. His hold on the knife in his hand relaxed, but he still pointed it dangerously close to James' throat.

"Mister... Wilson, is it? We have a proposition for you and your... _'partners'_." The man badgered, enunciating his words with a tiny jut of the knife, poking at the sensitive skin.

"And what would that be?" Joe uttered, gathering up any courage he had. He willed his claws to stay short and human-like, but they resisted, growing longer and sharper with every passing moment.

"You know what happens when you get caught, right? When the government finds another group of cannibals?" He mocked, looking James deeply in the eye. "Here's your answer: they get _rid_ of you. They cut you open and use you for science experiments. And honestly," He laughed coldly, "We're just looking out for you."

"Bullshit." James spat, eyeing the knife in his hand. "Just tell us what you want!"

"Don't backmouth me. I'll slit your fucking throat right here." The man threatened, an inch from James' face. "My friend here sniffed out the blood stains on your truck." He pointed to a figure behind him, but in the darkness, they weren't visible enough to assess. "If you don't want to be ratted out, you need to give us some of your earnings."

"Like... meat?" Trevor grimaced.

The man cackled at his statement, eyeing him closely. "No. You're fucking sick. We want money. A lot of it."

"Fine." James said. Only then could Joe see the flushed skin on his face, and the way his knees shook. "Fine, fine, fine, just please let me help him."

The man lowered his knife, placing it in a holder on his belt. "I'm glad I had to do no further convincing. We'll be back next week, with more people. Have it in cash then." He began walking away, before turning around again. "My name's Brett by the way. See you soon, friend." He left with a chuckle, before a licencesless car pulled up and took them away, into the night.

James slid down the wall, sobbing before he even touched the ground. He crawled over to his love and cradled him in his quivering arms like a child.

"What are we going to do, baby...?" He repeated over and over, gaining volume until his words became mumbles of screams in the night.

"Do- Do you want me to call-" Joe stuttered, wiping away tears dripping from his tired eyes.

"They take blood samples, we can't. They'll know." James sniffled, before coughing out another sob. His arms shook violently, barely able to wipe away the tears on James' face. "Carry him in, Trevor. Be gentle."

Trevor, seemingly the most calm of the three, burst into tears. He complied, reluctantly at first, but upon seeing how bad the wound was, he rushed the boy in and on to the cleanest chopping table in the house. Of course none of them had the intention to hurt him, but the chopping tables had all of the... _supplies_.

James got to work almost immediately, dawning a surgeon's cap to keep his curly hair from getting into his wound. It was about two inches long, a dangerously large slit that was caused by Brett stabbing him and pulling the knife down further in an attempt to damage more organs.

Joe manned the cleaning supplies, using a sponge to wipe the sweat and occasionally tears from James' face. He placed a mat meant for elderly people with loose bladders underneath Aleks' limp body, taking care in placing his limbs in a good place so not only was he comfortable, but James' could easily see the wound.

Trevor manned the emotional support and nurse role, handing James sutures and various tools while also giving continuous encouragement. "You can do this." He uttered to no one in particular, but the two other men took it to heart, keeping with their work.

It seemed like hours before James collapsed in a heap next to the table. He was dizzy from exhaustion, but he felt like his job was done when the final bandage was wrapped. Aleks had lost a lot of blood, and even though James was in extreme pain already, he inserted a needle into his arm and transferred his matching blood to Aleks in an attempt to keep him stable.

"How did you know how to do all that?" Joe asked the delirious James.

"This... This is _far_ from the first time." James murmured quietly. He fell asleep after that, seeing the sun beginning to rise and knowing that there would be a lot more to this, he knew he needed rest. Joe removed the needle from his arm, bandaging the vein up and asking Trevor to put him to bed. He nodded weakly, and picked up the cannibal with his sore arms.

Periodically, Joe would press his fingers underneath Aleks' jaw just to feel a pulse, and smiled whenever the faint beat was still there. "Keep smiling..." He kept whispering to himself, "Just keep _smiling._ "

Eventually Trevor came back, smelling of energy drinks and vomit. He explained he had puked from crying to much, but before Joe could get worried, he insisted he go and lay down with James for a bit. Before Trevor knew it, he was alone with Aleks. Alone with the boyfriend of his boyfriends.

He bit back his tears as he walked over to the table, looking through the station James left. The paper under him had completely soaked through, leaving nothing clean. The needle and sutures James used was unwinded and rolling all over the floor like a cat's yarn. A pile of napkins and bloodied towels littered the entire room. Most importantly though, more important than anything else his eyes could catch, he eyed the bandage the most. It was messy to say the least, but it seemed to be holding him together well. A dark blood splotch soaked through the bandage though, and it unnerved him enough for him to unwrap the cotton from his stomach.

The wound was still fresh and pink, a healthy sign. The sutures were barely able to keep it closed, but since no organs were popping out, he deemed it okay. He pulled out a fresh package of gauze and rebandaged him, taking more care in tying knots and wrapping it more gently.

"Trevor..." A small voice whispered. The lupin turned around, but no one was there. A hand touched his arm and he whipped around to see the cannibal's eyes open. "Trevor, are they _okay_? Please tell me James... James is okay."

"They didn't hurt anyone." He paused, wanting to take back his words the moment they came out. "Except for you, I mean." Aleks began to weakly chuckle, but Trevor stopped him. "Don't move too much. Stitches."

He nodded, before taking a deep breathe, barely shaking out an exhale. "How am I?"

Trevor swallowed down the thickness in his throat. "Well, y-you're going to be okay, I promise." Thin tears began to trickle down from his dry eyes, but he wiped them away quickly. "I promise you."

"Promise James. He needs it more." Aleks muttered. "Better yet, promise yourself. You don't seem to confident."

"I have never done this shit before! What am I supposed to do when I see you dying?! I didn't know!" Trevor lamented, pressing his palms into his cheeks.

Aleks smiled at him, placing a soft touch on his forearm. "It's okay not to know. I never wanted you and Joe to have this kind of life, but here we are, I guess."

"Have you and James... Been through this before?" Trevor questioned, astonishment crossing his face.

"Not exactly like this. Usually it was a coworker or a neighbor, but... Never like this. Never to this size." Aleks explained. "It happens once every blue moon."

"It shouldn't happen at all."

"I know, but it does. They know they can get a quick buck out of us. They think we're scared." Aleks argued. He averted his eyes when Trevor's gaze softened into something warm and loving.

"You aren't?" He asked.

"Not when, well... Not when I'm with you guys. I don't really feel scared anymore."

Trevor chuckled, brushing back Aleks' hair with his clammy hand. "What about thunder?"

"That's a different story." He smiled back. His hand slowly raised, and gripped on to Trevor's collared shirt. "Do me a favor."

"Yeah?" Trevor cooed, running a thumb under the boy's baggy eyes.

"Kiss me, just in case."

"In case what?" He encouraged, cradling his warm cheek.

"In case James can't stitch for shit." Aleks joked. He tugged the boy down weakly, but Trevor needed no convincing. Their lips touched, and little sparks of electricity switched between the two so vibrant that Trevor shivered.

Who ever said you couldn't have _more_ than one soul mate? Better yet, who says he couldn't _keep_ them?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I forget to mention that Brett was there too?


	17. Ambedo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> James can still remember meeting his first love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is just a short intermission before we get back to some legit plot. I wanted to develop the NovaHD relationship a little bit more.

**Love Only Looks Great from Afar By: Adia Heart**  
 **Love, I've fallen in**  
 **The idea, the thought of it.**  
 **Nothing more than that.**  
\-----------------

  
He wished it never happened. As any lover would, he wished he was in front of that blade, but he wasn't able to change time. He couldn't go back and take the pain himself. He regrets not trying, though.

He was lucky Aleks even woke up after that. Though he transplanted his blood, and... his _warmth_ , he wasn't doing too well. It broke his heart when he contorted his face in pain like that; he had to clean his stitches often and it was always the worst part of his day. Hoarse whines and sharp screams would echo throughout the house, seeping into every corner of the walls. They seemed to linger there later when James went to bed.

"What are you thinking about?" Aleks asked, catching James attention. Aleks smiled up at him, but James felt nothing but agony deep inside him. Even those pretty brown eyes couldn't satisfy his anxiety.

"Are you still feeling any pain?" He mumbled slowly, raising in pitch. Aleks rolled his eyes and held the other man's hand, rolling his thumb over his knuckles over and over again.

"I've told you a thousand times, it's been feeling a lot better lately. You're too good to me." Aleks lightly chuckled, holding back his chest from moving with his laughter.

The room was silent for a moment, not counting the ambient sound of the new on television. He could hear behind his back that they were talking about another lupin being killed. A kid this time. He shook his head, tuning it out.

"I'm really not. I could be better." James scolded himself quietly, finding his fingers skimming the skin a few inches away from the stitches. He could feel how taut the skin was, and it made him grimace.

Aleks grabbed at his other hand, now in control of both of James' arms. He swung them back and forth gently for a moment before laughing, placing his knuckles against his pale lips. He kissed every finger, making sure to keep eye contact with James the best he could.

"You're the best thing in my life. You're _amazing_. Our other boyfriends are amazing too; you don't know how grateful I am. I _love_ you James. I do." Aleks proclaimed, placing James' warm palm over his cheek.

James leaned in, feeling the gravitational pull that Aleks had. It never failed to suck him in; the way his lips parted and his cheeks blushed pink, it was enchanting. Even after seven years, their kisses still felt fresh and new, and it was exciting and it felt so youthful and explorable.

He pulled away, gazing into Aleks' starry eyes, and smiled. He just wanted to keep him as long as he could.

"Do you remember how we met?" Aleks quizzed, affection in his tone.

James was taken back for a moment, before the memory breezed into his mind, just as vivid as it ever was.

\-----------------

  
_"You're the new barista?" An older woman asked. He never got her name to be honest, and he didn't want it. She was uglier than the monsters he'd seen in Silent Hills._

_"Yeah. I am." He grumbled. The only reason he had this job was for video games, so he didn't care about being friendly right now._

_She eyed his with a tint of annoyance before leading him to the counter, and began pressing random buttons to show him what they did. She pressed a button on a larger machine, and hot coffee spurted out, splashing on to her arms. She hissed out a curse, before being moved out of the way by... A tattooed man._

_"C'mon, Alice. I'm the one who has to clean this shit up." The man laughed, whipping a towel out of his arpon's poket and wiping up the hot liquid. "I'll teach the rookie, okay?"_

_"Fine, Aleks. Just don't hurt him." She nagged before walking off, the sharp clacking of her heels audible from across the room._

_The world seemed to slow when Aleks looked at him. His inquisitive glance startled him, and he could feel the redness cover his cheeks._

_"Come here." Aleks encouraged, scooting over to make room in front of a machine. James walked over, already feeling the sweat on his palms grow. "What's your name?"_

_"Um... James." He said, eyeing the intricate tattoos on the man's arm._

_"Do you like these?" Aleks chuckled, raising his sleeve, revealing more artwork. "I think you'd look pretty good with some tattoos too, y'know."_

_"U-uh..." James stammered, "I never said you looked... good."_

_"Well damn." Aleks scoffed, smile on his face. "I take offense to that." He turned, offering out a hand. James took it and received a firm shake. "My name is Aleks."_

_"I noticed." James chimed in, reveling in the tingles running up his wrist._

_"I'm also apparently the only person that can man any of these coffee machines." He paused and smirked, placing a mug underneath the machine and pressing the button. He waited until it filled and held it out to James eagerly. "Even though I work tables."_

_James took it slowly, 'accidently' touching the mans hand again. Aleks seemed to notice, and shyly smiled back. He sipped it, letting the coffee slither down his throat, only now realizing how sore it was. It tasted bitter, but it warmed his insides like a hug to the stomach._

_"Good, right?" Aleks remarked, cleaning up the counter in front of him. Before James could respond, he began talking again. "Listen, I'd love to maybe hang out sometime. Can... Can I have your number?"_

_James almost spit out the coffee mid-sip. Aleks recoiled in case he did, but no liquids came out. He swallowed quickly, fishing a pen out of his pocket. Without even asking, James grabbed the pale boys arm and began writing numbers on it._

_"There." James smiled, clicking his pen. "It kinda matches your tattoos."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please remember to comment! Anything works! Don't be shy! I need the influence and motivation!


	18. Opia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fox is in the den.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UGGGH I'm sorry! School is starting up again soon, so PLEASE KNOW THAT THINGS WILL UPDATE SLOWER! I'm very sorry about that.
> 
> This is short, but I'm just short on time right now. Please understand.

**Pieces By: Anonymous**

**these nights when my world falls apart**  
**i wait for the pieces to land**  
**in your delicate hands**  
**and be put back together**  
**once again**  
\-----------------------

He awoke to gentle knocking of the front door, and reluctantly left the comfortable position of his arms wrapped around Joe. The hellhound twitched and whined when the cold air hit his skin, and James quickly pulled the comforter over him to keep him from waking up.

He was reluctant with opening the door for obvious reasons, but he couldn't help his curiousity. The thugs said they'd come back in a week, and considering they still had a few days, he felt he was safe. He only cracked it open at first, but... nothing was there. He slipped outside, keeping a hand on the doorknob.

"Wilson?" A small voice said, shy and somehow frightened. James shivered, spinning around on the front porch to find the noise. "Over here." It was to his right.

Multiple fluffy tails poofed up in the humid fall weather, twirling around uncomfortably. A mask covered their face, large red lips painted over porcelain. They looked like a clown at a furry convention.

James swallowed thickly, but stood his ground. "May I help you?"

"Don't look at me like that!" The animal chirped, attempting to look threatening by balling their small fists. "I'm here to help you. All of you."

James stared, waiting for them to continue.

"I'm the one who sniffed you out. I was with Brett." They explained softly, rubbing their hands together. James began to growl lowly, and they quickly continued his speech before the cannibal could hurt them. "I didn't want to. I swear, I really didn't know it would end up like this."

"Well," James grumbled, "What did you think would happen? My husband almost died and my boyfriends are emotionally scarred."

The animal looked visibly shaken, and his shaky hands moved up to slip off the delicate mask. James eyed his carefully, sizing him up appropriately in case he had to take him. It was a boy, obviously Asian, with dark hair and slanted eyes that looked fearful.

"I'm really sorry. They... They made me do it."

"They made you?" James blurted, throwing his hands out in front of him. The boy instantly backed up, cowering until his back his the railing.

"It's kind of the only way I can stay off the streets. I... Have to do uncoventional things." He shook.

James sighed, pressing his fingers onto his throbbing temple.

"Come inside."

  
\-----------------------

"So, if I can reiterate," An annoyed Joe groaned, rubbing his tired eyes, "They offer you a home in exchange for your nose and-"

"And _other_ things." He cut in, waving off the words inbetween Joe's lips. "Other things that are _not_ important."

"It sounds pretty important to me." James muttered, twisting his own fingers in his curly hair. "Do you get paid too, or...?"

"They take the money afterwards." The boy shivered, tails writhing together like flapping fish.

"Aron, was it?" Joe began, bundling up the blankets into his waiting arms. "I really appreciate you being here, but I need to know why you came."

The Asian gulped. He placed his hands against his thin cheeks, feeling the cold skin. "I wanted to help you. I know where their base of operations is."

" _Base of operations_? What is this? Call of Duty?" James chuckled, before his bright smile dropped from his face. "Why do they have a base?"

"Why wouldn't they?" Aron shrugged. "They have like upwards of three hundred men employed, mostly paid by the government. Think of it like a military base, but with assholes."

"The _government_...?" Joe trailed off. His fingernails were digging into James' palm, but the cannibal paid no mind.

Aron eyed the men carefully before clearing his sore throat. "I thought it was pretty obvious."

"I expected no less, honestly." James sighed. His stomach twirled knots and bonds that never seemed to come undone, even with every passing moment. "But why should we trust you?"

"Well..." Aron grimaced, thumbs twirling around each other. "I'm a cannibal too. I understand you guys."

"What... species are you?" Joe pried, suspicious lacing his words.

"Kumiho. Nine-tailed fox originating from China." James stiffled back a giggle at that, avoiding the glare of the slanted eyes in front of him.

" _Exotic._ " Joe gawked, leaning in closer to view the ever writhing tails.

"So... Do you trust me?" The fox said, backing away from the hellhound's excitement.

"I think you're the only option we've got." James admitted. "Do you... Want to stay here for the night?"

Aron busted out laughing, but stopped when he realized the two men were still staring at him. "No, no, I'm good. I think it'd get you guys in more trouble anyways. I've been away so long..."

"We understand." James nodded, standing. "Come back tomorrow, we'll talk more. Okay?"

Aron nodded, and James' broad shoulder hit his chin. Tight arms wrapped around his fragile frame.

"If you ever need anything, just tell us, okay?" James insisted. "Just howl or something."


	19. Philophobia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> James makes a decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> School starts on the August 8th, so I'm really trying to wrap this up soon. Sorry if this is kinda cheesy, this is a huge learning process for me. Whether it shows or not, I'm making some progress.
> 
> Thank you for reading, everyone.

**Annabel Lee By: Edgar Allan Poe**  
**For the moon never beams, without bringing me dreams**  
**Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;**  
**And the stars never rise, but I feel the bright eyes**  
**Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;**  
**And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side**  
**Of my darling—my darling—my life and my bride,**  
**In her sepulchre there by the sea—**  
**In her tomb by the sounding sea.**  
\--------------------------------------

  
"I sleep in a few hours and we have another intruder? Why didn't you wake me up?" Trevor groaned before taking a large swig of coffee.

"It wasn't an intruder." James explained calmly, "I invited him in."

"What?!"

"He wanted to help us, and honestly, we need all the help we can get. We can't afford the money they want from us." Joe added. The air settled in the room, and a resounding sigh shook out of James' chest.

"He's coming back tomorrow. We're planning on storming their base in a couple of days." He concluded.

"Are you fucking stupid?!" Trevor exploded, spilling hot coffee on himself. Before he could grab any napkins, Joe was already at work cleaning him off. "Why don't we call the presses? The cops? The government?"

"They _are_ the government, you dick. I doubt any press would believe us anyways, considering we're, y'know, cannibals." James grumbled. The beginning of a cold sweat began forming on his forehead, but he quickly brushed it away.

"I refuse to let you guys storm a government building. It's just not happening." Trevor stated. He got up from the large dining table, tucking in his chair and walking towards the sink in his fleece pajamas. He dumped out his half-full cup of coffee and slammed the mug on the counter. "Think of something else."

"Something else? What else is there?" Joe argued as he stretched his arms above his head, popping tired back bones. "We're four men- well, _five_ , if you count Aron- and we all eat human beings. Nobody of authority will listen to us, and even if they did, we'd be executed for sure."

"And you think men paid by the military won't kill you instantly?" Trevor exclaimed. His mind raced with thoughts of his past; his tail and ears were always such a nuisance. They were the reason he was homeless. Always in danger.

The two men in front of him eyed each other thoughtfully, taking in the other's baggy eyes and bedheads. It's not like any of them actually got any sleep; they were far too busy being deep in thought.

"Have you guys even talked to Aleks about this?" Trevor's voice dropped to a lower volume, aware of the sleeping man in the next room. His stomach wound was still healing, and his body needed as much rest as it could get. "How do you think he'd react?"

"Of course he'd be concerned, but I want a better life for you three. You don't deserve this and you know it." James lamented, standing from the table. He wrapped his arms around Trevor, squeezing him with enough force to knock the air out of the lupin. James took in his scent; pine needles and fresh water rivers. "Just let me make a better life for you."

"Don't you think we care about you?" Trevor said. He briefly hugged James back before pulling away, holding his hands gently. "I want a better life for you too. You don't have to sacrifice anything for us."

"I..." James began, but he quickly trailed off. His throat fought back a sob, and any noise he made would release the embarrassing sound. Before he could walk away from the situation, a hot hand was on his cheek, and his tears evaporated away from the hellhound's hand. _When did he start crying?_

"We love you, James." Joe whispered softly. He kissed James' cheek with the lightness of a feather, and made no reaction when James strong walls began to crumble in front of them. Like an ancient building toppling over, it felt like sunlight had finally reached a part of him that had never seen anything like it before. For the first time, he didn't have to choose which person he would be holding that night or who he would be going on a date with later on.

In that moment, he had both Joe and Trevor, and he loved them so strongly and equally that any hatred he had for himself dissolved away.

  
  
\--------------------------------------

He paced the room nervously, one shoe on his foot and the other one lost in the sea of items in his room. The hard sole of his shoe continued to clack against the floor while Aleks helped him out, searching through their shared closet.

He had healed enough to be able to walk around, but that didn't change the fact that it was really painful for him to move like this. Every step he took made his skin tug at the stitches.

"I'm _terrified_."

"Don't be." Aleks cooed, kissing him sweetly. He adjusted his husband's tie and straightened the collar. "Is it the money, the danger, or the fact that we're fucked?"

"Hey, don't fucking say that!" James chuckled, shoving the Russian playfully. "It's none of that."

Aleks paused for a moment in thought. "You're worried about them."

"Of course I am. I'm also worried about you, for fucks sake. What are we supposed to do?"

Aleks sighed, turning around and pulling out a drawer on their jewelery case. In his hand appeared a flashy gold watch, which he quickly secured around James' wrist with a click. The soft ticking was barely audible, but it seemed to ground James enough to keep him from passing out from anxiety.

"You guys are going to talk about it tonight, right? Over dinner?" He asked, smiling at the nervous man in front of him. He was so cute when he was got flustered, it made his blood boil in an energetic kind of way.

"I guess so." James said, checking out the new watch on his wrist. "I just don't know what I'm going to say."

"You don't? Just say what's on your mind, and I think it'll be okay." Aleks assured.

James slid his arms into the long sleeves of his suit jacket. He breathed out a sigh of air that had been lingering within painfully; holding his breath seemed to slow his heart rate. He turned, grabbing his wallet and a box, shoving them deep inside his pockets.

"I think I have too much on my mind."

\--------------------------------------

  
"How much was this reservation?!" Joe exclaimed to James under the lights of the chandeliers. The crystals on the hanging piece casted glimmering patterns on the walls of the restaurant, catching all the men's attention.

"A few hundred, but I had been saving it up for a while now just for this occasion." James breathed out as he stood in awe. In front of them, waiters scrambled and hustled around the ornate table, placing a buffet of food that filled the room with various scents.

" _This occasion_?" Joe uttered, surprise painting his face. James stepped forwards, pulling out a seat, ushering the hellhound to sit down. He then awkwardly stumbled to the other side of the table, allowing the lupin to sit down as well.

"I've been waiting for a while to had a three-way date with you guys. It just so happens that we have some discussions to make while we're here." James smiled, placing a cloth napkin across his lap to protect his suit. He was so used to human meat that the delicate pieces of seafood on the table didn't quite satisfy him. He continued to eat it graciously though, licking at his fingers after every bite.

"Let's get to business then." Trevor encouraged, taking a plate of the expensive sweets in front of him. He kept eye contact as he took a random danish and took a large bite out of it. "Can I just say right now: the ambush thing is off the table. We're not doing that."

"What else do you have in mind?" James pitched.

"Why don't we do like, a stealth thing?"

"Why and how would that help us?" Joe deadpanned, smirking.

"Being a base, they have to have someone in command, right?" Trevor explained, taking a sip of a glass in front of him. He spit it out immediately, feeling the sting of alcohol; he wasn't even twenty-one yet.

"I figure, but how would taking out the higher ups stop us from being basically robbed?" James interjected, taking the alcohol away from Trevor. He actually liked the taste of it; champagne was always a favorite of his.

"Well, if they have no one in charge, they have no one to command them to do shit. They'll be too busy figuring out what to do."

"You know what they'll do?" Joe chimed in, "They'll hire someone else and _murder_ our asses."

"But how long would that take?" Trevor reasoned.

"Maybe a few days at most. Maybe a few hours. If they're paid by the government, who knows?" Joe responded.

The sweat on James' forehead felt suffocating, and no matter how many times he wiped it away with his sleeve, it reformed quickly, dripping slowly down his throbbing temple. He wanted to remove his jacket, but he knew that his pit stains had probably evolved to have a life of their own. He felt his pocket for the fourth time that night; it was still there. _It was absolutely still there._

"That's a little bit more time for us to figure stuff out, maybe leave the country or something." Trevor intoned, exhausted. He found a cup of something non-alcoholic, and sipped it, happy to taste the sugars within.

"Leave the fucking country?! Really?" Joe laughed. "What did Aleks say, Ja-"

Two sparkling rings sat in the middle of the table, enveloped in satin within a black box. They were matching; both with twisting silver branches surrounding a thick diamond in the middle. The bands were thick and masculine looking, but were dainty enough to fit on Joe's smaller finger.

"What are you doing?!" Joe cried, bringing his hands to his face and rubbing his eyes as if he was hallucinating.

"I'm proposing to this _bomb ass_ turkey." James laughed. "What the hell do you think I'm doing?"

Joe exclaimed random curses, cheering to himself in the nice resturaunt. Trevor sat dumbfounded, contemplating what sat in front of him.

"Our first anniversaries are coming up soon, and I was planning to do this then, but..." James shrugged, emotion tangled in his voice. "I wanted to do this now, considering what's happening. Only a spouse can see me in the emergency room."

This got a laugh out of Joe, and he immediately reached over the table to grab his ring out of the box. His long and wavy hair brushed against the ham, and Trevor vowed not to eat any of it.

"So..." Trevor drawled, eyes wide. "Are you proposing because you love us or-"

"Don't even finish that." James chuckled. He pulled Trevor's ring out of the box and took the lupin's hand, slipping the metal on his thick finger. "I love you both a lot. Aleks loves you both a lot. I got his permission to do this a while back. We decided months ago that you two are a part of this family, and there is nothing changing that."

"Yes." Trevor decided, tears showing in his shaky voice. "I'll be a part of this family, then."

"Same!" Joe giggled, holding out his hand in front of him, checking out the ring. James shook his head, before stepping forwards. He took Joe's ring, placed it on the correct hand, and laughed affectionately to the hellhound, bringing him in for a kiss. "Trevor!" He exclaimed. "We're getting married, Trevor!"

"Oh fuck." Trevor chuckled. "Am I marrying Joe too?"

"I guess so. I haven't thought that far." James admitted, snickering. "We are a package deal, so yeah."

"Alright." Trevor snorted, bright smile painting his usually bored frown. "Let's get ready for war then, my fiancés."


	20. Haptephilia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys let out some stress before the big day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't even intend for this to be more smut. Sorry. I'm getting better at this, though.
> 
> I have narrowed it down to like two more chapters. I love this story, but it needs to be over soon, yknow?
> 
> TW: Minor racist remarks. Also more smut.

**Polyamorous By: Breaking Benjamin**  
**They've come to get me again**  
**The cloud is over my head**  
**My polyamorous friend**  
**You got me in a mess of trouble again**  
**So**  
**Just when you think that you're all right**  
**I'm calling out from the inside**  
**I never hurt anyone**  
**I never listen at all**

\---------------------

"What'd they say?" Aleks laughed, cuddling close to James in the light of the rising moon.

"They said _yes_ , dumb ass. What'd you think they said?"

\---------------------

[X](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZEhbooK-YY)

"Stop shaking like that, please. _Please,_ honey." Trevor whispered, holding Joe in a death-grip. The hellhound was quivering horribly, raising the hairs on his tail and arms. "We'll be okay."

A gun dropped from his clenched fists, hands flying up to cover his face. No matter who tried to talk to him, no one was able to muster up any words out of him. Joe was speechless in fear.

"Will he be okay?" Aron muttered, unaffected.

"What's your damage?" Trevor spat at the fox. "He's fucking panicking!"

"We have important things to do. It's more than his life that's in danger here."

That seemed to shut Trevor up, and he lowered his chin into Joe's wavy hair in defeat. Focused silence stilled in the room, and Aron took back to his notes, speaking in a bored tone like it was a business meeting.

"Now what's this hide-out you guys were talking about? What's the population?" Aron questioned, clicking a pen open.

" _Hideaway._ " Trevor hissed.

"Whatever. Tell me about it." Aron interjected. His eyes held a focused fire, something that Trevor's words couldn't put out. His confidence caved in, and his heart spilled out everything; his past homelessness and how the hideaway helped him.

"A-A lot of kids were there..." Joe stammered, eyes red and cheeks flushed. "You're... You're not thinking about _using_ them, are you?" Trevor's head shot to Aron, an angry scowl painting him.

"They are just as much victims as we are. We could-"

"How are _you_ a victim?" Trevor interrupted. His words seemed to catch the fox off guard, and he fumbled to find his words.

"That's not important right now. Look, I'm trying to help you guys out and I think-"

"That's very important right now. You're in my fucking house with my fucking family and you're on the enemy's side. How on _Earth_ could I trust you?"

The fox's posture lowered, his back slumping forwards. His arrogant disposition melted away, and he clicked his pen a few more times before slamming it onto the table. His face held no emotion whatsoever.

"I am... What most would say... In the... Um... Business of _prostitution_. I don't have any actual home or anything. My home has become whoever will invite me into theirs." Aron confided, arms crossing in contempt. "Stop treating me like dirt."

"Prostitution kind of sounds like a decision, you squinty-eyed little shit." The lupin exasperated, his cheeks becoming red.

"Hey hey hey, that's fucking racist." James interjected. No one noticed his comment though, and Aron continued.

"It's not a choice though!" He turned towards the boy in frustration, finally taking a notice to him. "It's all I can do to survive. I get a home for a night, and then those fucking murderers take my money." He swallowed what felt like a giant lump down his throat, and when silence covered the room once again, he picked up his pen and jotted something down. "I was outed a _long_ time ago. I either work for them or I get my throat slit."

\---------------------

"What color do you want?" James chuckled, hanging a arm over the hellhound's lowered shoulders. He jumped at the touch, being shook from the thoughts in his head and instantly falling back into James' dark eyes.

He wagged his tail softly, but he knew James could feel the gentle thump against his leg. He smiled shyly, before looking back in front of him. A drawer full of different bandanas were knotted and twisted together within. A pure white one caught his eyes, but when he lifted it up, a splotch of foul cannibal blood covered the nose of the fabric. He gagged at the scent, and James took it from him.

"I remember this one..." He laughed, dreamily thinking into the past. "Aleks accidentally clocked me in the nose. Good times."

"Why does your- _or our_ \- blood smell so bad?" Joe asked, digging through the again.

"No one really knows. I think it's the chemicals in it; maybe it's supposed to make people not eat us. It kind of works." He muttered, pulling out a bandana himself. He stretched it out in front of him, revealing a black fabric with a gnarly smile stitched into it.

"Have you ever... _tasted_ it? Cannibal blood?" Joe said. James held the fabric up to his face, admiring how it looked on Joe's mouth. He got closer to the boy, reaching around to tie it behind his neck.

"Yeah." James whispered lowly. He looked into the pup's eyes, yet his fingers tied the knot like he had done it a thousand times. "Aleks helped me out one time..."

"Isn't it poisonous though?" Joe mentioned, eyes widening in curiousity. James couldn't help but smile at the boy's expression.

"In large doses. In emergencies, you can have a little bit." He pulled away, admiring his work.

"James..." Joe purred, stepping forwards. "Can I taste you?" He pulled the bandana down to his neck, and laid his hand on James' crossed arms.

James shoulders jumped at his touch, and he dropped a fistful of bandanas; various colors of fabrics floated down the floor.

"I don't think you want to, babe. It tastes like garbage."

"Did you forget about the times before you took me in?" Joe inquired, draping his arms over James' shoulders. "I ate beef, for fucks sake. Nothing can be worse for my health than that."

"Sit down for me, then." James instructed. He walked over to another drawer across the room, pulling out an item before appearing again in front of Joe. He held out a small needle, probably meant for sewing. Joe's eyes flew back and forth between his love and the metal before he could form words.

"I don't want to do that! Can't I just use my teeth?" Joe complained.

James sighed, holding out his arm himself, slapping his inner-elbow a few times until the bright blue veins showed up. "I don't want an infection. At least these are mostly sterile."

"Why do you guys have needles anyways...?" Joe's voice softened, staring at the object in confusion.

"This is actually a syringe needle. In the old days, after a hunt, we'd have to numb up each other to do stitches and stuff." James grimaced before popping the needle through the skin just enough to hit the delicate vein.

He stepped forwards, knees touching knees. "Get ready." He whispered before slowly taking the needle out, letting a small rivulet dribble down his forearm. It was a controlled flow, very smooth and slow, but it caught Joe in a trance. It was a very dark red, almost like wine. He pressed his lips to the tan skin, and sucked at the leaking vein. After a moment, James put his palm to Joe's forehead, pressing the pup away with a gentle _pop_ from his lips.

"It's not that bad." Joe laughed, cheeky smile spreading across his face. "Kind of like chalk or something."

"You're a weirdo, you know that?" James joked affectionately. He leaned down, pressing Joe's smiling lips onto his own. A pair of arms draped over his shoulder again before tugging him down onto the bed. He opened his eyes, peering at the boy under him.

On either side of Joe's head was one of his arms, effectively trapping the pup. Joe's arms sprawled out over the pillow, and his hair covered part of his face. James gently took the locks over his eyes and tucked them behind his ear so he could see his eyes. They peered back with enough emotion to writhe something in him; something he'd never felt before.

"This might not be the right time..." Joe purred lowly, placing his hand onto the warmth of James' cheek. "But I want to taste something else."

His stomach flipped over itself twenty times before his brain processed what he said. "Oh." He whispered. "Are... Are you sure?"

"When am I not sure?" Joe giggled, tugging up the hem of James' shirt. He let the pup take it off before he climbed off of him, letting Joe work his magic. His jeans seemed to disappear, being thrown across the room.

"Now _you_ need to sit down." Joe imitated, a soft growl rising in his throat. He could already feel his eyes lidding over by the time he sat himself down on the softness of the bed, setting up a couple pillows behind his head. He got the full view as Joe snaked his frail fingers up his thick thigh, tickling every sensitive nerve in his body.

Whether he wanted it or not, his erection stood in full view, and the pup devoured it with his eager eyes. He felt so naked; not only his body, but his _soul._ This was the first time that Joe had taken initiative, and being a bottom for the first time was an odd experience.

His pink lips ghosted over the fabric constricting him in a way that made his toes curl tightly. Joe's hand cupped his balls gently, while also rubbing and creating friction through the fabric.

James was about to ask for some relief, but when he opened his eyes and saw that Joe was very focused on what he was doing, he became quiet. He took his time pulling down the waistband of James' boxers, watching intently at the frustration in his eyes. Every time he bit his lip, Joe seemed to just go slower.

Finally, the skin on his cock could breathe air. It stood prominently in the air, but it didn't surprise Joe or even embarrass him. Joe seemed proud of what he was doing, keeping deep eye contact as he touched every inch of James' cock; the shaft, the thick vein running up the side, even the sensitive mass of his head. After a few minutes of giving the cannibal a handjob, he pinpointed the most sensitive spot.

James shivered the moment Joe opened his mouth, feeling the hot breath hit his warm flesh. His tongue was wet, yet rough, and gave him spastic jolts that made his legs shake and his breathe shorten. Every part of being was a quivering mess before Joe could even wrap his lips around him.

"You're so gorgeous, James." Joe cooed against his tip, letting his tongue slither out and trace over the tiny slit. "Aren't you going to praise me?"

"Yes, _ahh!_ " James gulped, nearly gasping for air as Joe's lips finally tightened around his tip, sucking lightly. "You're so good, you're such a _good_ boy, Joe!"

He could feel Joe laugh against his cock, and his hips forcefully thrusted forwards into the sudden vibrations. Joe held James down by his hips and began humming quietly around him, sending the man into breathy convulsions.

"I'm going to-"

"Cum without me?" A voice said, shocking the two men. James cupped his erection, staring with fear at the lupin in the doorway.

"You never asked to join..." Joe smiled darkly. Trevor took it as an invitation, entering to room before peering down at the floor. Bandanas were still scattered across the floor, and he took the liberty of picking one up.

Without a word, he tied James' wrists together over his head, before running his hands up and down the hairs on his chest. Goosebumps formed, raising hairs all over his skin.

"You know..." Trevor started, locking the door behind him. He kneeled down, and Joe made room, scooching over across the floor. "We're supposed to be fiancés, but you have yet to have sex with me."

"I'm sorry!" James grunted, testing the strength of his bonds. "I wasn't sure if you were comfor-"

A new tongue slid across his tip, and he began to feel the low throbbing emanating through his swollen cock. A weak whine left his throat.

"You're so _perfect_ ; why wouldn't I be comfortable?" He cooed, stroking the cock in front of him. He watched as Joe lowered his head again, and he jumped when he started licking at his sack. He sucked on them, letting the make a popping sound when he let them loose.

"I'm sorry..." James groaned, quivering and panting under their touch.

"It's okay baby. It's okay." Trevor assured, rubbing his inner thigh with another hand. "Tell us when you're gonna cum."

Not missing a beat, a throaty groan sounded out of his mouth. "I'm about to."

"Come for us." Joe whispered against his sack. His hot breath tickled his skin, and a with all of these sensations going on, the orgasm only gave him lightheadedness. The rims of his vision blurred into black, but he could still hear the boys praises; he could still feel his back arch unconsciously.

When his vision returned, he could feel the warmth against his face, and he could see the blurry image melt into the sweet face of Joe. The hellhound's palm was gently patting his cheek, urging him to come to.

"Are you alright? Was that too much?" His seductive appearance turned into something worrisome, but James wasn't able to console the boy. His hands were still tied.  
  
"Ah, hold on." Trevor babbled, twisting the knot loose. His hands fell loose, and he felt down his body until stickiness coated his fingers.

"Speak." Joe commanded softly, cupping his burning cheek.

"I'm okay..." James groaned, running his clean hand through Joe's hair. There were sweaty tangles that got stuck inbetween his fingers, but he combed through it calmly until it ran smooth. "It's okay."

"Let me get you cleaned up. Were we too rough?" Joe stressed, walking around the room and picking up a loose pair of boxers.

James sat up, stretched, and listened to his back create a symphony of pops. "It was _amazing_."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Update: Someone unbookmarked this and I'm upset. I'm sorry if this isn't perfect guys, I am a new writer, and I'm trying very hard.


	21. Altschmerz

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The mission begins, but James can't help but feel some anxiety.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ONE MORE CHAPTER HYPE (and then an author's note at the end)!  
> I am so excited to finally finish this, you don't even know.  
> I've been planning the ending forever, but me being a new writer, I'm sorry if it doesn't appeal to you.
> 
> This has been a huge learning experience for me and I thank everyone for following along.

  
**Circles By: Pierce The Veil**  
**And I said, "Hey, what's on your mind?"**  
**I think about my life without you and I start to cry**  
**And I said, "Hey, it's alright"**  
**We'll make it. I love you and I'll never leave your side**

\---------------------

[X](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yfJUp-cwqs)

"So... How are the kids?" Trevor asked carefully, aware of the risks of the question. The woman's face contorted before she stood and thought about her words, driving more anxiety into Trevor's fleeting heart. His stomach churned with thoughts about the many possibilities that could come out of her mouth, and it added unneeded suspense.

Her voice was weak and dry, seemingly collapsing in on itself from lack of sustenance. "Well... Sam caught that flu again... We're not sure if she'll do okay this time." She spoke softly, but so bravely that it shook his heart a little bit. These were his _family_. He patted her arm with empathy; his mind still lectured him of when his mom passed away.

"I understand. I assume you heard the news though?" He asked. Again, she paused, but once the gears in her mind turned, a smile flashed across her sunken cheeks.

"Yes! You and your partners are going to go to that base, right? They were the ones that got us evicted, I would be so grateful if you got rid of them." If she had any blood left in her face, she'd be glowing. Her bony tail wagged weakly behind her like a skeleton's spine.

"Yes, we'll be sure to teach them a lesson." Trevor assured her. An arm draped over his shoulder, and he turned to see Joe's ears twitch happily. A wave of confidence rushed over him, and he straightened his back a little bit from his bent over posture.

"You two are so cute!" She gushed. "If you boys need any help with anything, you can tell me!"

She began to turn around, but a warm hand grabbed the pale skin of her elbow, making her jump.

"Actually..."

\---------------------

Flies buzzed around the lights in the room like an audience, as if James didn't have enough eyes on him. He felt like puking, everything hurt so bad. Everything had led up to this moment, and he seemed to be absolutely speechless.

He looked around the room, taking in the dark eyes and the bony hips. An outstretched palm appeared in front of him, and he turned around to view its owner.

He climbed up onto the table, holding onto Joe's sweaty palms. It creaked under their weight, but made no move to crash beneath them. It was the last sound in the room before everything officially happened- he could call it off right now- but he wouldn't. All of their efforts were for this.

"Ladies, gentlemen, and everything inbetween." He began. A gag pushed against his throat, but he quickly swallowed it down, feeling the burn of his bile. "We are a family. And family means sticking out for each other. And, I find nowadays, we've... All become very _separated_."

He breathed out an anxious sigh, but fingers interlaced his, and he didn't have to look to know who it was. His Aleks.

"We've lost so much family. So many friends. Maybe... We even lost ourselves a little bit." He casted a sympathetic stare down to Aron. "I... I am so entirely grateful for everyone being here. I just wanted to say, that tonight, everything we've been pushed through, will end."

Cheers echoed through the room, and under the dark bandana covering his face, a weak smile grew.

"You've all raised me." Trevor spoke up, nearly a whisper at first; once eyes were on him, his volume rose somewhat. "If you know me well, you know that my mom got sick quite a long time ago. Not only do I want to avenge her, but I want to avenge every other innocent soul that has died from this tyranny."

More cheers boomed, seemingly louder than before.

"Tonight, this war will _end_." Joe added, gaining the loudest cheering of all. The hundred-or-so people in the room shook the concrete walls with their positivity, and he couldn't help but smile. Content with this, he nodded to Aron, earning a sigh from the fox.

"Nice speech. Everyone gather around for supplies." Aron scoffed. The foxes tails twirled around each other in annoyance as the crowd gathered around him. Joe watched as a younger girl grabbed at one of his tails, angering the other eight tails that began to writhe around like Medusa's hair.

A group of women got guns and medical supplies, while most of the men got some knuckle wrappings to prevent the bones in their knuckles from breaking on the impact of a punch or gutting. James smiled proudly as he watched a smaller group of girls sharpen their wolven claws with files until they could cut through steel.

"Do you think this will work?" Joe whispered, directing his worries to James. The cannibal took note of this, and curled his free fingers into Joe's.

"We have to believe it will."

\---------------------

"You got it?" James loomed over Aron's shoulder, watching as the fox fiddled with the wires within the security system. He grew out a claw and snipped a few colored wires short, smiling in content when the flashing lights stopped.

"We're good. You guys can go ahead." He spoke confidently. He stood from his spot on the ground, wiping the dirt and grime of the knees of his jeans.

James could feel the fox's muscles tense the moment he hugged him, and after a moment, he sighed and returned the affection.

"Thank you for everything, Aron." James affirmed into the smaller boy's shoulder.

"I'm straight."

"I don't care, I just want to thank you."

Another quiet moment passed, and the fox groaned, pushing the elder away.

"No problem." He scoffed. "Be careful."

"You too." And with that, James shifted, letting his bones pop into a superior form; shoulders broadened and height enhanced. His tongue checked everyone of his sharp teeth. He had sharpened them for the occasion, and he enjoyed the feeling of scratching his tongue on them.

He hooked his elongated claws onto the fence wiring, being careful to not snap one off. He balanced his weight carefully, and quickly made his way over the fence, avoiding barb wire.

Aron was right; after he disabled their main security grid, they would be able to jump the fence undetected. He decided not to question why their security grid was outside, instead being grateful for the convenience.

He could already see a few more people jumping the fences; figures with flourishing tails behind them and large bony cannibals with toothy grins. He heard quick footsteps, but a familiar scent hit him, and his instincts relaxed.

"Come on." Aleks whispered, clutching his stomach wound. "You guys go ahead, me and Aron will be guarding the gates for anyone trying to escape."

Wordlessly, he rushed forwards; anyone with half a mind would have flinched away, but Aleks rushed forwards with just as much purpose. They collided, a mess of sharp teeth smacking together. James tasted him like he was studying him for the first time. Every ounce of Aleks that was there, he took in just in case he couldn't do it again.

"I love you so fucking much." Aleks huffed. James watched as the moon shimmered in his pupils, admiring the way the lights of the night hit his face. He kissed him once again, leaving a tiny love bite on the bottom of his jaw.

"I love you too. Don't do anything stupid." James hummed against his neck. He could feel the boy swallow and move away, letting the cool autumn air invade his senses.

Aleks waved him off as he jumped the fence back to the outside, joining the fox. His heart thumped against his rib cage; that might've been the last time he saw Aleks.

He physically shook his head, shooing the idea away. He wouldn't let something so simple as fear get in the way of this. He turned to see the crowd of people they had gathered; around a hundred people who had went through what they had went through. The only difference is that it didn't work out for these people.

After a few moments, a man exited the building, dressed in dark blue and carrying a rifle. His heart skipped a beat, but when it started again, he was already dead. A younger cannibal was already leaning over him, devouring bits and pieces of the freshly killed man.

He sped over to the incident, avoiding the enchanting smell of a human's blood. Before he could say anything, the man was already meeting eyes with him, watching closely as James kneeled down, swiping a lanyard out of the man's pocket.

He held it up high, peering at the tiny print on the badge attached. This man once had a life behind his brute job, and that was tragic, but James thought he would happy to be made useful.

He raced up to the door, ruffling his curly hair nervously. Without a card, the sound of screeching metal and monsters tearing open the door would alert more people than wanted. He held the card up to the scanner, and it bursted alive with a green light, reading the tiny barcode on the ID.

Locks and machinery clicked and clacked, working together to open the heavy metal door. It snapped into submission, opening up to reveal the stale air of the base's hallways.

Faint stains varying in shades of red to brown littered the marble flooring, and the ceiling was soaked in splotches of mildew and what looked like fungus. He pulled the bandana from his neck to his nose, filtering the foul air.

Down the hall, a figure whisked across the end of the hallways, rustling papers on cork boards and notes taped to brick walls. A near deafening explosion accompanied by a symphony of screams caused James' hands to fly up to his ears, protecting not only his hearing but his sanity.

This place looked abandoned, but when he looked closer to the posts on the walls, it seemed to say quite the contrary. Faces, unfamiliar and familiar, were on nearly every piece of paper. Dates, what seemed like execution dates, were neatly printed underneath. It was sickening to read; all these people's' stories and faces burned into his long-term memory.

Eventually, his sharp eyes came across something that made his blood boil; Aleks' picture. He remembered the day he took it too, it was the picture on his driver's licence of course. His naive smile was so unaware that it would be printed on some murderers' wall. It hurt him to see that.

_'Aleks Wilson: Rumored cannibal. Married to James Wilson, another rumored cannibal. Probability is high. Reward is $10,000.'_

He ripped it off the board, watching a couple of thumbtacks fly away. James half-heartedly folded the paper up, stuffing it into his pocket. His love was worth a lot more than ten grand, and he would let them know that.

His nose began to tingle with something absolutely pungent, and he whipped around to view the source.

"You could smell me?" The perpetrator chuckled mockingly, twisting the point of his wielded knife on the tip of his finger. He recognized the blade instantly, and his stomach dropped down. "Am I that strong?"

"Brett..." James croaked, feeling his throat tighten in a controlled rage. He could feel his cheeks flare red, tiny pricks of tears falling from his eyes.

"Why are you crying?" He stepped forwards. His grip on the knife tightened significantly, knuckles turning white enough to catch James' eyes.

"You're scared, aren't you?" He accused, smiling a smug grin. "You're scared of a _little cannibal_?!" His voice boomed.

"Why would I be scared of something so disposable?" Brett jeered. The air in his lungs left him, an unfamiliar thick forearm connecting with James' throat, holding him in place. "Something so..."

He paused stepping forwards to the immobile cannibal.

" _Worthless._ "

A fist connected with his skull, and his mind gave out, leading him into inky blackness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stay tuned for the final chapter, coming soon.


	22. Thanatophobia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The very last chapter.
> 
> "Joe is a badass.   
> I love my boys."  
> -Oddmorals.

 

"Wake up, James! I made you breakfast." Aleks demanded nudging him awake with his bony hip.

"...Huh?" The lights burned his eyes, but he opened them, taking in the pain.

"I said-"

\-----------------------

"Wake _UP_!"

The back of a hand crashed against his cheek, making his sharp teeth dip into the soft muscle of his tongue. Instantly his cannibal form melted away, leaving him defenseless.

"You call yourself strong, but you were knocked out for almost thirty minutes." Brett exploded, taking James' face in his hand, digging his fingernails into his bruising cheeks. "You think your plan would honestly work? We aren't stupid."

"What are you going to do to me?" James inquired, monotone leaking into his voice. He spit the diluted blood from his mouth, letting it fly in every direction when he spoke.

"Do you really think you should be thinking about yourself right now?" He jeered, pushing the cannibal's face out of his hand, wiping the blood onto his pants. "What about your... _things_?"

"You can do whatever the fuck you want to me!" James sputtered, kicking and flailing around, only to find that his legs and arms were obviously tied down pretty tightly to a chair. "I honestly don't care. I don't. But I swear to god, if you fucking hurt them, I _will_ care."

"Listen."

Brett wrapped a large hand around his throat, and he could feel the air leave his lungs before he even tightened his grip. He physically controlled himself from letting out a gasp for air, from giving him that pleasure.

"We're not here to make negotiations. This isn't a fucking fairytale." He spat with every enunciated word. He reared back, slamming a fist into James' chest. The chair didn't topple over, but James did contort in pain, letting out a loud grunt.

"We have more men than you can count. Your boys are probably already dead by now." Brett paused, smiling sickeningly. "Especially the one I gutted. I must ask- why did you bring an injured lover into a war?"

James' shocked face turned into something rage filled, before turning into something Brett couldn't quite comprehend. He formed a mass of spit in his mouth before spewing it at the older man.

A splitting pain nearly tore him apart. His brain connected the pain with his pelvis; Brett stomped on his crotch with the heel of his boot.

"You're a fucking disaster." Brett said harshly, shaking his head. "This place is about finished anyways. We'll be opening up another base somewhere else!" He mocked, using that sarcastic smile once again to drive a stake through James' heart.

"You're abandoning this place?" James' voice softened in confusion as he gasped for air. Brett shrugged, backing up a few steps closer to the door.

"You tell me."

Almost on cue, a roar burst alive behind his back, and his chair was swivelled around to view the source.

The men who turned his chair walked past him, matches in hand. The door behind him slammed closed, and he could hear the machinery stir alive, effectively locking him in.

At the very end of a long hallway, a small fire began rumbling to life, eating away at the growing mold and flammable ceilings.

He didn't even realize for a moment that his chest felt extremely constricted, and then he exhaled; he had been holding his breath in terror that something would instantly hit him, but in reality, his death would be postponed in exchange for something more painful.

His chest pumped in and out quickly; his anxiety issues had never been real until this very moment. One thousand thoughts passed through his mind at once, but one stood out.

_'Calm down.'_

If he had a panic attack now, the smoke would just kill him quicker. His lungs would rush to push more air into his blood, and the smoke would burn his insides to ash. The low hum of the pulse in his ear was the one constant thing in his senses, and he concentrated on it.

_'Calm down.'_

He prayed that the loose tears running down his face would be enough to put out a fire, but he highly doubted it. He could already feel the dry heat strike his face.

He squeezed his eyes as tight as he could; randomly colored lights invaded his vision in the pitch-blackness of his eyelids. He wriggled around, feeling his bonds and yearned for the burning pains the rope gave him. He felt disembodied, as if he was somewhere else completely.

"Calm down." A tiny voice whispered. His eyes flew open, alarmed by the sudden noise. The fire had crawled another ten feet or so, and the embers began to flicker towards him like snake venom.

A tail was lit up in flames, showcasing the underlying red tones in the thick fur. He watched as the jacket on the man began to crumble away, giving in to the forceful fire's life. He jumped when the flames began to lick at the other man's skin, but as he continued watching, he noticed no danger. The hellhound looked content in the heat.

"Joe...?" James bawled, tasting the liquid runniness of his nose. The hound stepped forwards, exiting the hungry flames that still tried desperately to burn him.

"They know nothing about us." Joe chuckled lightheartedly. He leaned down on his knees and began to untie the bonds on his cannibal. "Hellhounds are from hell; we basically live in fire."

\-----------------------

"Where is he?" Aleks hissed as he dragged Trevor by his hand across the grounds. A group of lupins had assassinated most of the guard already, so they were free to explore the perimeter.

"I don't know." Trevor sighed, irritated. He tugged his fingers out of his grip. "We can't worry about it right now though. James is a tough dude, I'm sure he's just fine."

"But..." He swallowed down his anxiety, trying hard to push it into a corner. "I can't help but worry."

"Trust me." He said softly. His expression warmed and he pulled the cannibal forwards, kissing his forehead. Behind Aleks' back, two figures leaped from the ceiling of the structure, opening a space for the smoke to fume out. "He's just fine."

\-----------------------

The minute the lightness of his toes touched the ground, the air stilled around them. Smoke clustered his lungs, and the last embers of his burnt jacket floated away like autumn leaves.

"You're a piece of shit." Brett burst out, stepping forwards out of the cloud of smoke. "Why don't you understand?"

With a flick of his hand, the silver flash of a knife broke the smoke in the air. A switchblade, most likely used for gutting animals.

"What _don't_ I understand?" Joe growled, confidence unwavering. He used his left hand to push James back while his right hand grew claws.

"You're a monstrosity." Brett enunciated, spitting with every syllable. "You were supposed to die! You... You _killed_ people! You're all murderers!"

His shoulders shook, and after a moment, his body shrunk. James shifted to the side, and peered at his expression.

  
"I..." He choked. "I never _wanted_ to! I didn't have a choice... I-" His throat constricted. "I would've _died_ without them."

"That's an excuse for you to kill people? Innocent people?" Brett boomed, stepping forwards. His face contorted with insanity, an amused smile pulling his cheeks.

"Like you're any better?" James interjected. He stretched and popped the intricate structure of his bones preparing to change forms. "You killed children." He pulled out a few dozen papers from his pockets, letting them spill out of his hands. Faces of children, adults, and even Aleks scattered across the soil.

"They... They killed people! We needed to protect our country from these-"

"Monsters?" James shrugged, stepping forwards. He touched Joe's shoulder, causing the hellhound to jump. "I guess we are."

He wiped away Joe's fearful tears, feeling the heat on the pup's skin. He leaned into the boy, reveling in his scent, before kissing his temple.

"Go get him."

In a flash, the hellhound leaped forwards, toppling the human down onto the dirt. He fought for control, pressing Brett's forearms to the ground.

"What the fuck are you guys doing?!" Trevor yelled, speeding forwards with Aleks not far behind. "We need to- _oh_."

Brett's eyes widened, his pupils flying everywhere as he analyzed everything.

"No!" James jumped forwards. Despite the efforts, was too late.

"The deep brachial artery... I've never been able to see one in real life." He gushed. With a flick of his wrist, Joe's arm tore open, and with it came blood spewing out with the pressure of a hose.

"Shit!" Aleks cursed, running forwards. Mid-step, his body shifted into a beast. James had never seen his claws that sharp before.

Joe collapsed, slumping over to Brett's side as he clutched his arm. The intricate design of his muscles were torn apart, leaving a view of his bones and cut artery.

Aleks pounced on him, dodging the knife the man slung around.

"You idiots!" He screamed with a shaking voice. "Help Joe!"

James ran forwards, picking up Joe. The liquid flowing on his fingers triggered something within him; something animalistic and ferocious, yet it didn't make him feel any stronger.

He tugged a emergency kit out of his pocket, shoving needles in between his teeth as he worked to stitch the boy back together. Just like he had done with Aleks.

The hellhound's eyes were squeezed closed, tears pricking up in pain, but he suddenly relaxed. His lips parted, a heavy puff of air leaving his lungs, and his chest seemed to drastically slow down.

"No, wake up!" James bawled, cupping the pup's face in his hands. "Please don't go, _please_. You guys are all I have, I can't do this without you!"

Trevor kneeled down next to him, squeezing James' tense shoulder, before getting to work on the wound.

"I'm not scared of your fucking knife!" Aleks screamed into his face. He grabbed the knife, being careful not to prick himself on the sharp edges. He plunged it into Brett's heart, feeling his way past his ribs and into the tender muscle. "I'm not scared of _you_ , Brett."

The older man gripped around frantically, watching as lights invaded his pupils and blinded his sight. He clung to Aleks' shirt until it began to rip, breathing convulsions in a spastic manner.

"I'm sorry..." He whispered out finally. His head slung back, collecting blood and dirt in his hair.

"I'm sorry too." Aleks assured, loosening his grip on the dying man. He took the knife from the man's chest and watched the fresh human blood pooled around them like paint. It stained the ground and his clothes, clotting in the cool air.

When Brett's breathing finally stopped, he placed his fingers gently over his eyelids and pushed them down, closing his cold, unmoving eyes.

He resisted every urge in his body to bite a chunk from the body, instead choosing to stumble off the ground, knees shaky and muscles tired.

"Joe..." James whimpered out. Trevor opened the wound gently to begin the operation, opening the artery to the air. The scent of his sulfur blood was thick in the air, and James wretched before turning around and vomiting behind him.

"Don't panic, sweetheart." Aleks huffed, falling onto his knees stiffly. His body crunched back into his smaller stature, exhausted from being overused. The stitches on his stomach had somehow stayed together throughout that, and he was grateful.

"Are you alright?" James asked him, reaching over his blood-stained hand to hold the other's. Aleks could feel his throbbing pulse, every ounce of pain surging through his blood, and it stung tears into his eyes.

With a relaxed sigh, he spoke calmly. "Everyone is going to be alright. I promise."

\-----------------------

**~ 2 Months Later ~**

"Can you like, move your fingers?" Trevor giggled, gripping the unravelled bandage in his hands.

"I've told you a thousand times-"

"Tell me again!"

"I can feel and move them normally." Joe convinced, twirling every joint in his finger around. "It's been a while since I got hurt, and honestly, you don't have to worry about it anymore."

"Shut up and eat your fucking breakfast." Aleks groaned, forking greedy amounts of eggs into his mouth. Hairs on his head poked up, and the bags under his eyes were dark.

"Don't be a dick." James laughed, grabbing at the Russian's cutlery and keeping them to himself. The boy eyed his plate for a moment before shrugging and eating everything with his fingers anyways.

"Can I see the scar again?" Trevor mused, lifting up his sleeve without an answer.

It stood out prominently, pink and fleshy. It would be a while before it faded, and Joe wasn't looking forwards to seeing it everyday.

"Hey!" He argued, tugging down the fabric. "Nobody wants to see it but you. We're trying to eat."

"Yeah, what if I just..." The pale boy paused before undressing his shirt and tossing it to the ground. "Showed off my belly scar?"

"You guys are fucked." James chuckled. His eyes wandered to the silent end of the table, and he watched as they poked at their fried leg muscles. The fox caught his gaze before rolling his eyes and finally taking a nibble of the flesh.

The three men bickered back in forth, but James revelled in the sound. He loved hearing their voices and how they sounded when they were angry and sad and happy and... He just loved them.

He may not have had many scars to show, but it didn't mean he didn't pay any price for them. Every scar he had was internal, yearning to push forth into his everyday life like knots around his heart.

He still woke up every other night clinging to the hellhound for dear life; the visions of flames still enveloped his everyday thoughts. At night, when he had Joe's shirt balled up in his fist, did he _know_? Did he know what he was thinking?

He was torn away from his thoughts when a warm, nearly burning hand touched the back of his neck. He met Joe's eyes, peering into the brown depths. Before he could drown in them, Aleks appeared behind him, leaning on his wooden chair and toppling them all over. Trevor sighed, reluctantly joining the giggling men on the floor.

Aron groaned, swallowing his toast. "You guys are all fucking gay."

His voice was drowned out by the kissing and chattering the men created, happy in their decision to break another chair for the third time that week.

_**~ FIN ~** _

**"What screws us up most in life is the picture in our head of how it is supposed to be"**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so so so so so so so so so so so much! There will be a final author's note right after this, but if you're okay with this ending, go ahead and stop here :) thank you!


	23. Finishing Author's Note

I want to thank everyone who's read this far for giving me the time of day.

 

This is actually the first fanfiction I've actually written to completion, and I feel like I've grown because of it.

 

I know this isn't perfect, and it's very rough in some spots, but I adored writing this and listening to everyone's feedback.

 

I promise that with this, I will grow to be a better writer.

 

You guys have voted, and most of you wanted me to continue in a sequel, as long as I wanted to. And yes, I do.

 

Stay tuned for the next installment of the story:

 

_Wintercearig._

**Author's Note:**

> You read the whole thing? Hey, thanks dude. Make sure to comment, leave a kudos, or even bookmark this story. It means the world to me.


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